By Diana Hall, STAR Writer

Vernal Grant - contributed

Seventy-four-year-old Vernal Grant was reportedly admitted into the Kingston Public Hospital (KPH) for surgery on November 10. However, Mr. Grant has seemingly vanished after he was reportedly released from the hospital on November 18.

Mr. Grant, who resided at 97 August Town Road, Kingston 7, has not been seen by anyone since he was reported missing by his son, Donald Grant, to the police on the day of Mr. Grant's release. The August Town police said checks were made to the two funeral homes that are contracted to the KPH but no body fitting the description of Mr. Grant was found.

"Check's were made at Madden's Funeral Home and Brown's Funeral, but no body fitting the description of Mr. Grant was found," an officer from the August Town police told THE STAR. "We believe that if Mr. Grant is still missing, he is in areas closer to KPH than August Town since he was not seen by anyone in this community."

Donald Grant, the missing man's son, who lives in Montego Bay, said he filed a missing person report to the Half-Way-Tree, the Central Kingston, and the August Town police stations. Grant said he did not report the matter to the police station closest to the KPH as he was advised to report it to the Hannah Town Police Station. "But I don't like that area [because it is violent], so I reported it to central(Kingston)," Grant said.

Grant said although no new information has come about the whereabouts of his father, he hopes that he is still alive. The elder Grant was admitted to the National Chest Hospital on October 10 and was later transferred to the KPH.

Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Vernal Grant, please contact the August Town police at 927-2184 or his son, Donald Grant at 343-8207/573-1080.