The family of a pensioner found dead in a hedgerow 10 weeks after he went missing from a Wembley care home hope an inquest will finally answer their questions about how he died.
Leocardo Loney, who had dementia, went missing from the Willow House Extra Care Housing in Vivian Avenue on August 3, 2017. He was found in hedgerow in Breakspear Road North, Harefield, on October 14.
CCTV cameras show the 83-year-old leaving the care home, which offered 24 hour on-call care and emergency support for older people and people with mental health needs, just after 5.30pm.
But staff only realised he was missing when they went to give him breakfast the next morning.
A pre-inquest review hearing took place at West London Coroner’s Court a week ago (Thu) ahead of a full inquest.
His daughters Marie Loney and Denise Dooley said in a statement: “Despite his illness, Dad was still fit and healthy for his age. He was always smiling and enjoyed dancing and going to church every Sunday.
“The weeks when he was missing were so hard. We still cannot really believe he is no longer with us and all our family miss him every day.
“Not knowing what happened to Dad has been difficult to come to terms with. We know the inquest is going to be an upsetting time but we hope that at least we are finally able to find out more about what happened to him and why.”
Trinidad-born Leocardo moved to the UK in 1961 and worked for London Transport for 55 years.
A “real charmer” he enjoyed travelling around the capital and discovering new places, gardening, singing and was a very good cook.
Despite appeals and sightings of him on the 182 bus, no-one came forward with information.
Fiona McGhie, public law and human rights lawyer at Irwin Mitchell, which is supporting the family, said: “For more than a year the family have had a number of concerns about whether their father’s care package was sufficient to keep him safe, and whether his death was preventable.
“They now hope the inquest process will provide them with vital answers they want regarding his death.”
Network Homes, manager of Willow House said it was unable to comment further on this case “until the results of the inquest are known”.
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