Family fears body found in North Miami nursing home is missing senior: ‘He was stuffed in a closet’

NORTH MIAMI, Fla. – Loved ones were experiencing heartbreak and anguish as a body was brought out of a North Miami nursing facility on Monday.

Family members told Local 10 News they believe it’s 71-year-old Elin Etienne, who was reported missing from North Dade Nursing and Rehab, located at 1255 NE 135th St., nearly two weeks ago.

Now they’re not sure he ever left.

“He was stuffed in a closet the last 12 days,” said a family member. “The officer advised he was so decomposed that they couldn’t recognize him.”

Loved ones say Etienne was a cook, a loving father and grandfather. They said he suffered an aneurysm, which is why they took him to North Dade Nursing and Rehab.

On Aug. 22, he was reported missing.

The family says they got a call from a nurse.

“She told me that they lost him, then they transferred me to another nurse who said he signed a form to leave,” said a family member.

“Do you think he would have signed a form to leave?” asked Local 10′s Janine Stanwood.

“No, he couldn’t even feed himself,” she replied.

The doors to the facility were locked when Local 10 News arrived on Monday. A staff member had no comment when asked about the situation.