Kristen Spencer was alarmed when her 83-year-old father, William Eugene \u201cGene\u201d Ray, wasn\u2019t in his room at a Florida assisted living facility. Hours later, he was found dead inside a walk-in freezer.<\/p>\n
Ray, a retired U.S. Navy veteran with dementia, had been living at The Waverly Assisted Living and Memory Care in Trinity since May. Spencer had installed a Ring camera in his room and noticed him leaving around 12:30 a.m. on September 26 \u2014 and never returning.<\/p>\n
After alerting the facility, the family received the devastating call: \u201cHe\u2019s in the freezer.\u201d Authorities say Ray was found unresponsive and later pronounced dead. The incident is under investigation, though no foul play is suspected.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow did a dementia patient access a restricted area?\u201d Spencer asked. \u201cIf we hadn\u2019t called, when would they have found him?\u201d<\/p>\n
The facility expressed sorrow, calling the incident unprecedented and reaffirming their commitment to residents’ safety. Ray\u2019s family remembers him as a kind, hardworking man who served his country for 36 years.<\/p>\n
Now, they\u2019re demanding answers \u2014 and accountability \u2014 to ensure this never happens again.<\/p>\n