Report criticizes hospital for care of missing Australian

An internal report says medical staff at Boundary Hospital in Grand Forks, B.C., could have done more to help a young Australian man who later vanished from the hospital.

Owen Rooney, 24, admitted himself to Boundary Hospital in August 2010 after attending Shambhala Music Festival. He had taken hallucinogenic mushrooms at the four-day rave, and was beaten in Christina Lake on his way back home to Kelowna.

After an overnight stay, Rooney mysteriously left the hospital, leaving his backpack, cell phone and wallet behind.

His family were critical of how staff at the Boundary Hospital cared for their son, and demanded Interior Health investigate.

Interior Health has now finished an internal report into his care, which found Rooney's treatment was generally good, but there were problems.

The report states Rooney was confused and depressed, and staff should have called social services. It also says medical observations of Rooney were poorly documented, and communication with his family could have been better.

Owen's mother, Sharron Rooney, says she hopes recommendations made in the report are followed by Boundary Hospital.

She and her family searched tirelessly across Western Canada for Owen. The entire Rooney family left their lives in Australia and moved to Canada in hopes of finding him.

They've since given up the search and returned home, but Sharron Rooney says the family hasn't given up hope Owen is still alive, somewhere.