Search continues for missing Colony Farm psychiatric patient

PORT COQUITLAM (NEWS1130) – It’s been three weeks since a missing patient from Colony Farm psychiatric hospital was located and returned and we’re only now finding out about it.

At the beginning of the month, Vancouver Police picked up 49-year-old Gregory Owen Schleen, who was spotted by someone in the woods in Stanley Park.

He and David Fomradas didn’t return after being let out back in May. The two men were let out on unescorted day-passes.

Coquitlam RCMP Constable Michelle Luca says people need to be aware of Fomradas, who was involved to a 2009 carjacking of Vancouver actress Carly Pope.

“We’re definitely asking citizens not to approach him and definitely just give us a call,” stresses Luca. “The RCMP members are used to dealing with anyone of this nature and we know exactly what to do and how to treat them.”

The Provincial Health Services Authority has released a statement (see below) saying it’s working with the RCMP to find Fomradas.

“Any lead that we have we are absolutely following up on it to try and find him. This is obviously an open file and we are using all investigative skills and tools to try and locate him,” adds Luca.

The disappearance of both men prompted two reviews of the hospital’s unescorted day-pass program, one of which is still underway.

Provincial Health Services Authority Statement

Mr. Schleen was picked up in Vancouver by police without incident and returned to the Forensic Psychiatric Hospital on August 3, 2012. Forensic Psychiatric Services (FPS) and the RCMP are working closely together in an effort to locate Mr. Fomradas so that he can continue to receive appropriate treatment and supervision. Following completion of an internal review in July, which found FPH to be in compliance with all policies and procedures, leave passes were reinstated. Recommendations to enhance policies and streamline information for leave requests were also implemented. For example, additional clinical information will accompany leave requests, and more information about destinations will be collected and stored for future reference. Additionally, Forensic Psychiatric Hospital began an external review of its policies and processes regarding community access for its patients. This review is ongoing.
 
Community access is gradually granted as it provides patients with important rehabilitation focused goals as part of their treatment with the ultimate goal of reintegrating the patient back into the community. A patient is assessed at the time of the request for an outing and also on the same day of his/her departure. As per policy, any patient found to be on unauthorized absence would need to re-apply for privileges including community access.