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Psychiatric Patient Missing After Escorted Leave
15 May
Summary
- A 52-year-old patient vanished during escorted leave.
- This marks the patient's second disappearance from the facility.
- Previous recommendations aimed to prevent patient elopements.
A 52-year-old patient, Robert Kelly, remains missing after disappearing on May 6 while on escorted leave from Hillsborough Hospital in Cornwall. This incident marks the second time Kelly has gone absent without leave from the psychiatric facility. Charlottetown police issued a public appeal for assistance in locating him, noting he was last seen around 1:30 p.m. on May 6.
Kelly has a history with police involving violence and was committed to Hillsborough after being found not criminally responsible for an offense. Police stated there is no indication he intends to harm himself or others. His disappearance echoes a similar incident in the summer of 2023, when another patient, Colton Clarkin, died by suicide after leaving the facility without leave.
A coroner's inquest in 2025 made recommendations to improve patient supervision and elopement prevention. These included establishing a dedicated forensic facility, adopting a risk assessment tool, and conducting formal reviews before granting passes to patients deemed a flight risk. Health P.E.I. stated they could not comment on Kelly's specific case but indicated that Health Minister Cory Deagle believes protocols were followed and has promised a review of policies.
