DC VA patient escaped psychiatric unit, charged with assault

The U.S. House Oversight Committee has launched an investigation into the recent escape of a patient from the psychiatric unit of the Washington DC VA Medical Center, according to an article on the NBC Washington website.

The patient escaped a locked unit, traveled to a home in Virginia and abducted and assaulted a woman there, according to police and VA records.

The patient climbed through ceiling tiles above a bathroom shower in the psychiatric unit on the medical center's third floor and then moved through a neighboring office space to make his escape.

“The Washington DC VAMC is conducting a review of its policies and procedures to see if changes are warranted," the DC VA Medical Center said in a statement. "We cannot comment further due to patient privacy laws.”

Read the article.