HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) – Recent escapes from a mental health facility in Huntington are sparking the Cabell County Commission to call for an investigation. <\/p>\n
\u201cThis has been a big problem,\u201d Commissioner Kelli Sobonya said.<\/p>\n
The commission is sending a letter to West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey, highlighting three examples of escapes since last month from River Park Hospital, including a convicted sex offender who\u2019d been committed to the custody of the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources by reason of insanity, and was considered extremely dangerous and had a history of violent behavior. <\/p>\n
Around noon on April 27, a hospital nurse called 911 to report the man had taken off, but the public wasn\u2019t notified until nearly 10 hours after the escape.<\/p>\n
He was found and arrested the following morning.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat person could\u2019ve gone into a house two doors down or into the school,\u201d Commissioner John Mandt said. \u201cTime is very important when something like that happens. People weren\u2019t notified in a timely manner.\u201d<\/p>\n
Commissioners said with the hospital being close to St. Joseph Catholic School, homes, and businesses, more needs to be done to prevent escapes from happening, and people nearby need to be notified faster when it does happen.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf they\u2019ve got somebody who needs to be behind locked doors and controlled at all times, maybe they should put them somewhere other than a minimum security hospital if that\u2019s the case,\u201d Cabell County Sheriff Doug Adams said. \u201cThat\u2019s our hope by reaching out to the Governor\u2019s Office, to see if he can help minimize this from happening again.\u201d<\/p>\n
WSAZ reached out to the Governor\u2019s Office for comment. They referred us to the West Virginia Department of Facilities. <\/p>\n
In a written statement, their spokesperson said \u201cThe West Virginia Department of Facilities (DHF) owns and operates two psychiatric hospitals, Mildred Mitchell-Bateman Hospital in Huntington and William R. Sharpe Jr. Hospital in Weston. River Park Hospital is not a state-owned and operated facility. Therefore, any questions regarding security or operational protocols at River Park Hospital should be addressed by it directly.\u201d <\/p>\n
The DHF\u2019s statement also stated, \u201cWe appreciate and share your concerns for the community. River Park Hospital does house diverted patients from our two psychiatric facilities. Therefore, DHF intends to have a conversation with River Park Hospital regarding these security issues.\u201d <\/p>\n
In response to WSAZ\u2019s request for comment, River Park Hospital shared a written statement that said in part, \u201cRiver Park Hospital maintains comprehensive safety procedures and ongoing monitoring practices designed to protect and support our residents. River Park Hospital is committed to providing high-quality care to children, adolescents, and adults with special, and often complex, mental health needs.\u201d<\/p>\n
For previous coverage >>> WSAZ Investigates | Sex offender escape notification delay<\/a><\/p>\n