ATLANTA,None — A southwest Atlanta rehabilitation center is investigating the death of a patient after he walked out of its facility.
The man’s body was discovered the next morning near the King Memorial MARTA station on Decatur Street. Police said they don't suspect foul play but can’t explain how the man got there.
MARTA police found 55-year-old Jeffrey Griffin’s body near the MARTA station Sunday morning. It was eight miles away from the Crestview Health and Rehabilitation Center where Griffin was a patient. The center provides nursing home and short-term care.
"I don't see how he got out. If he walked past security and got out without permission, that's a problem," the man told Channel 2’s Michael Buczyner.
A visitor at the center, who asked not to be identified, said getting in and out of the center is difficult.
The man said his friend is a patient inside. Buczyner encountered security moments after he arrived.
“They're pretty tight. They’re basically in the front, downstairs a lot. They can't get out," the visitor said.
In a news release, Grady Health System spokeswoman Denise Simpson said Griffin left the facility Saturday afternoon without notifying the staff. It's unclear if he left alone or had permission.
Simpson said Crestview staff members are cooperating with authorities and conducting an internal probe of the incident. The coroner’s office said autopsy results are still pending.
According to Medicare.gov, Crestview received an average rating after an April 2010 inspection.