NORTH MIAMI, FL – The family of a 71-year-old man is seeking answers after their patriarch, who had been reported missing for several days, was found deceased in a closet at the North Dade Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.
Elin Etienne, the deceased, had last been seen on Aug. 22. His family claims that he was discovered in a closet at the nursing home where he had been receiving care, already in a state of decomposition.
The facility, however, has not been forthcoming with any information and has not been responding to their requests for answers.
Etienne’s granddaughter, Ruth Keisha Etienne, expressed the family’s frustration. After learning of Etienne’s disappearance in a call, she stated that they questioned the nursing home. “They told us he signed an AMA, which means he refused medical help, and we were asking for the documents and to see his signature, and they refused to let us see that,” she said.
While North Miami Police have confirmed that a body was found inside the nursing home and that a death investigation is underway, the identity of the deceased and the cause of death are not yet officially confirmed.