Queens man with dementia vanishes from hospital

RICHMOND HILL, Queens (PIX11) --- The daughter of Jagdis "Jaggy" Deonarine was appealing to the public Sunday to look out for her father, a dementia patient, after the 70-year-old man wandered out of Mount Sinai Hospital on Valentine's Day.

Deonarine had accompanied his neighbor from Richmond Hill to the hospital on Tuesday, Feb. 14, because the close friend was getting a pre-op checkup before open heart surgery.  

"The cameras show him in the hospital, trying to get into restricted areas," Denise Deonarine said of her father. "Then he exits the hospital."

Denise Deonarine said her dad, a slim man who stands 5 feet, 7 inches, was last seen walking south on Fifth Avenue, wearing a blue coat.

"We walked all over Harlem Saturday," the daughter said, talking of the family efforts to find her father.  "I did the bus depots, the shelters."

Denise Deonarine said her father was born in Trinidad and Tobago before he emigrated to the United States. She said his nickname is "Jaggy" and he would respond to that name. He's lived in Richmond Hill, Queens with his wife, daughter and son for more than 20 years.

"He does know his name, and he does know his birth date," the daughter said.

Denise Deonarine said her father had been forgetful in recent years and "my mom would take care of him.  She would help him shower."

The family had been taking Jagdis Deonarine, a grandfather of two, to doctors for the last, two years.

"The very last report, the geriatric doctor said he has severe dementia," Denise Deonarine told PIX11 News.  

Police said the missing man was last seen wearing a black jacket, red shirt, gray sweatpants and black shoes. Anyone with information has been asked to contact the NYPD.

Submit tips to police by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), visiting crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, downloading the NYPD Crime Stoppers mobile app, or texting 274637 (CRIMES) then entering TIP577. Spanish-speaking callers are asked to dial 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).