The man under investigation in the death of a senior who died three weeks after an attack at Overlander Extended Care has died.
Coroner Barb McLintock said Wednesday the 71-year-old man died on Sept. 19 at Hillside Psychiatric Centre.
A coroner’s investigation is underway to determine the cause of death.
The death means there is no further need for a police investigation into whether charges would be laid against the man in the case of Jack Shippobotham.
But the coroner’s office is still conducting a serious investigation to look at the circumstances that led to an altercation in June between the man and Shippobotham, who had separate rooms on the Blueberry unit at Overlander.
Shippobotham died three weeks later.
The RCMP and coroner’s service were called in to investigate the case, along with Interior Health. The accused, who suffers from a brain injury, was taken to Hillside.
Then in August, a similar case occurred at a residential-care facility in Vernon. Two men shared the same room on a dementia ward. One was fatally attacked by the other. The attacker, John Furman, has been charged with murder.
Officials have not publicly identified the man in the Shippobotham case.
McLintock said both cases are under investigation by the coroner’s service.
With the police investigation now sidelined by the man’s death, the service can look at some of the broader issues that the two similar cases raise, she said.
Interior Health spokeswoman Darshan Lindsay said the review is still in process. The investigational side is complete, but the information is now being shared internally with staff.
“Until that piece is done, we’re not in a position to share information more broadly,” she said.
The review also involves Section 51 of the B.C. Evidence Act, which limits how much information can be made public. The section pertains specifically to health care evidence and limits some disclosures.
“It allows for open and frank discussion among those taking part in a review to aid quality improvement in health facilities,” Lindsay said.
“We will be looking to determine what we are able to share more broadly, recognizing the interest.”
