Senior found outside Montreal CHSLD suffering from hypothermia
The 89-year-old man was sent to hospital where doctors fear for his life
Montreal police have opened an investigation after a senior was found outside a CHSLD suffering from hypothermia in Montreal's Rivière-des-Prairies—Pointe-aux-Trembles borough.
The 89-year-old man was found outside the Champlain-Marie-Victorin long-term care home where he is a resident, on Marie-Victorin Street near Maurice-Duplessis Boulevard.
Police received a call around 7:30 a.m. Wednesday reporting the incident, according to Service de police de la Ville de Montréal spokesperson Véronique Dubuc.
The man was conscious when officers arrived and was transported to hospital. Medical authorities fear for his life, says Dubuc.
According to Dubuc, the man exited the building through a window and was outside for "a few hours." He wasn't dressed appropriately for the cold.
Temperatures were well below freezing overnight. Environment and Climate Change Canada recorded temperatures of around –17 C early Wednesday morning in Montreal.
The regional public health authority, CIUSSS de l'Est-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, called the incident "regrettable" in a statement. They say they're working with the long-term care home to shed light on the situation.
The scene is currently protected and SPVM investigators are on site to determine the circumstances around the event and whether there was criminal negligence.
In an interview with Radio-Canada, Annie Cornellier, who is vice-president of nursing and accommodation for Groupe Santé Sedna, which oversees the home, said the company has opened an internal investigation and is co-operating with police.
Cornellier said the group follows Quebec security measures for CHSLDs and that there are codes on each door to the building. She also said each resident of the home is assigned a level of security based on their autonomy, though she declined to go into specifics.
"The quality of care and services is a priority for the company and we will be able to determine the events [with the investigation]," Cornellier said. "These are unfortunate events we never wish to happen."
Written by Cassandra Yanez-Leyton