Elderly Iowa hospital patient found dead in cold

GRUNDY CENTER, Iowa (AP) - An Iowa hospital says an 88-year-old patient has been found dead in the freezing weather after wandering out of the facility.

Grundy County Memorial Hospital chief executive officer Pam Delagardelle said patient Warren Feller was found dead early Sunday near a hospital out building after a search. Delagardelle says Feller was an acute care patient who was waiting to be admitted to the hospital's long-term care unit on Monday.

Delagardelle says the hospital doesn't know what happened and is working to find out.

The hospital executive says authorities have been notified. Delagardelle called Feller's death "a heartfelt loss for everyone."

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Information from: Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, http://www.wcfcourier.com

Copyright 2010 The Associated Press.