Patient death: accidental death or suicide?

Abstract

Mr Brown, a 76 year old man, was admitted to a medical ward in a district hospital with diarrhoea. He was discharged from the ward after three days but his next of kin could not be traced. He was therefore moved to a step down facility while the social worker tried to find his relatives or make alternative arrangements for him. The fourth day he was in the step down facility; he climbed out of a window and fell to his death.