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Wrongful Death Lawsuit Over SF Dementia Patient Left At Wrong Location

SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) – An elder abuse and wrongful death case has been filed in California Superior Court in the disappearance and death of a San Francisco dementia patient who was missing for 10 days before being found by a dog walker, dead in a park.

Kenneth Chin, 73, who suffered from dementia, was found dead last year face down in a park, after he was allegedly dropped off in the wrong location instead of being taken directly to his assisted living facility.

"It's egregious that this happened to him. It's outrageous that he wasn't dropped off at his correct location, and he would have been fine if he had been," said attorney Ingrid Evans.

KCBS' Margie Shafer Reports:

Medsam Enterprises, Veolia Transportation, San Francisco Para-transit and the driver are named in the suit, along with Jewish Family and Children's services, which was Chin's conservator. Evans claims the agency failed to offer timely notice of the disappearance.

"At four o'clock in the afternoon he was reported missing, at seven o'clock they were notified, and as you know at this time of year it's dark at 7 o'clock," said Evans. "And if you'll remember last year was the coldest day of the year, it was when we were expecting snow in San Francisco, and that was when he went missing."

Chin's niece Jennifer Chin, said that her uncle's disappearance was a nightmare.

"I remember lying there at night and it was pouring and freezing and I was just praying that he was indoors somewhere," said Chin.

Kenneth Chin was found 10 days later, dead in Lincoln Park.

(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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