Family Seeks Answers After They Claim 71-Year-Old Grandfather Was Found Dead in Nursing Home Closet

Mar. 15, 2025

Elin Etienne.Photo:North Miami PD/facebook

North Miami PD/facebook

The family of an elderly man in Miami is seeking answers after they say he disappeared at a nursing facility and his body was allegedly found in a closet at the facility.

The family of Elin Etienne toldNBC Newsand local media outletsWPLGandWSVNthat the 71-year-old was admitted to the nursing center on Aug. 14 as he recovered from a brain aneurysm. A week later, his family told the outlets that they received a call from a staff member saying that he was missing.

When they reached out to the nursing home, per NBC News, they were told that Etienne had “checked himself out.” However, when the family said they asked the nursing home to verify the man’s signature, they reportedly refused, prompting them to file a missing person’s report.

The North Miami Police Department issued a “missing vulnerable adult”alert on social mediaon Aug. 23 for Etienne. Police noted that the elderly man was last seen the day prior in the area of the facility, North Dade Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, at around 2 p.m. local time wearing a green shirt and blue shorts.

North Dade Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.Google street view

Google street view

The police did not provide an update on social media. The department later confirmed to NBC News that a person was found dead at the center, though they did not confirm whether it was Etienne. Police confirmed to WSVN that the body was found in a storage closet.

The elderly man’s family said on Monday, Sept. 2, they were informed about his death. His niece Kimberly Etienne alleged to NBC News, “A detective came … and said that he was found in a closet, decomposed to the point of no recognition.”

“We thought that he went missing, we never expected him to be dead in the nursing home,” Etienne’s granddaughter Ruth Keisha Etienne added to WSVN.

The family said that Elin had been scheduled to be at the facility for 12 weeks to undergo rehabilitation and physical therapy, but they are now planning his funeral and searching for answers into how his death occurred.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

The North Miami Police Department and North Dade Nursing and Rehabilitation Center did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.

“Our team is cooperating fully with the appropriate authorities, including law enforcement and our state regulatory partners,” the nursing facility continued. “We are compassionate caregivers, and that will help get us through this difficult experience. At the same time, we remain committed to ensuring our residents continue receiving the high-quality care they have come to expect from our facility.”

Elin’s family told NBC News their loved one, who used to be a chef, will be remembered as someone who was “loving” and “selfless.”

“There’s no such thing as him coming around and not lighting up a room with a joke, with laughter, with humor,” his niece Kimberly told the outlet. “He was just an honest person, and this is not the way we wanted to send him off.”

source: people.com