An elderly dementia patient who was meant to be under constant watch was found dead in Karin Grech Hospital’s public toilets 90 minutes after he went missing from his room, his wife is claiming.

Eileen Darmanin is holding the hospital responsible for the death of her husband, John, who, she says, passed away on March 7, 2012, after choking on a piece of chicken when hospital staff were instructed not to give him solid food.

In a judicial letter filed yesterday, Ms Darmanin said it turned out that her husband had died because he choked on a piece of chicken.

She explained that, due to his condition, her husband was meant to be under continuous medical supervision. There were specific instructions that he should not be given solid food and that he was meant to be assisted while eating.

Ms Darmanin said the death was the result of negligence because staff failed to abide by the instructions. She held the hospital responsible for his death and liable in damages.

Ms Darmanin filed the judicial letter in the First Hall of the Civil Court against the Health Minister, the Chief Medical Officer and Superintendent of Public Health, the Foundation for Medical Services, the Director of Karin Grech Hospital and against four hospital staff members. Lawyer Stefano Filletti signed the judicial letter.