12th August 1998 • The Wizarding World's Beguiling Broadsheet of Choice • 5 κ
Insane Patient Escapes St Mungo’s
By Owen Cassius, Journalist
Critics have lashed out against the Ministry’s running of St Mungo’s after a patient deemed to be extremely dangerous was allowed to escape the hospital in the early hours of Sunday.
The patient was being treated for an unknown magical illness confirmed to provoke violent behaviour. Earlier this month healers had deemed the symptoms too dangerous for the patient’s release.
At 1am on Sunday, August 9th the patient, who cannot be named for her safety, broke free of her room and injured an orderly before running loose into Muggle London, injuring three before she was finally subdued.
The Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes has declined to comment on how such a breach of security could occur in one of Britain’s leading magical care facilities, or on if this is an ongoing problem within the hospital.
“St Mungo’s treats some of the worst mental disorders among witches and wizards, and it is quite worrying to think they are unable to contain the problems within the infirmary," stated a concerned healer.
"The patient posed a serious risk to muggles and wizards alike, as well as risking The International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy,” an inside source told the Prophet.
Calls are being made for the Ministry to remove itself from the running of St Mungo’s and outsource management and recruitment to prevent incidents like this reoccurring. The Ministry has declined to comment against the allegations of poor management.