Toronto Star News, Friday, November 19, 2004, p. A16 Mogridge death probe Christian Cotroneo The province is investigating the death of an autistic man who was under the care of the Oaklands Regional Centre. Randy Mogridge's disappearance from the Oakville institution sparked a manhunt, including an army of volunteers, earlier this month. The 46-year-old, who also suffered from epilepsy and bipolar disorder, had been missing from the facility for 15 days before his body was pulled from Sixteen Mile Creek. "Something clearly happened here," said Sandra Pupatello, minister of community and social services. "An individual, profoundly disabled, was off the property and the most tragic outcome happened. "We have to look at the protocol, how it was followed, was it followed." To that end, the province will hire an independent investigator to focus not only on the day of Mogridge's disappearance, but on the centre's policies on residents leaving the grounds. Whatever the outcome, Pupatello said, the report will provide some comfort for families of the 62 residents of Oaklands, including Mogridge's mother. "Her concern has always been, we have to be sure that if it could have been prevented, no one else could be in this position," said Pupatello, who spoke with the distraught woman yesterday. Two other Oaklands residents died within the last two years. One resident ate a Halloween decoration; the other drowned in a bathtub. Category: News Length: Short, 182 words © 2004 Toronto Star. All rights reserved. Doc. : news·20041119·TS·0TS225643