Elderly man with dementia, missing for three days, found dead at Bukit Panjang park

“When she realised a body had been found, she handed over my father’s identity card and her personal particulars to the police. After verifying the details, they confirmed the deceased was my father,” he said.

He added that his father still had his wallet and other belongings on him, and was wearing a tag with his mother’s contact information.

Mr Chan’s body was found on a small slope beside a fitness corner in the park, just several hundred metres from his home.

“We initially thought he couldn’t have gone far. We searched the park several times over the past few days but didn’t manage to find him,” said his son, who explained that his father had dementia and Parkinson’s disease and lived with his mother, who would usually keep the house keys away.

On the night he went missing, she forgot to do so before going to bed, and woke up to find her husband had left the house. “She waited for hours but he didn’t return, so she made a police report after a neighbour advised her to do so.”

In response to Stomp’s queries, the police said that officers spotted a 74-year-old man lying motionless in the vicinity of Pang Sua Park at about 11.40am on Dec 23. The man was pronounced dead at the scene.

Based on preliminary investigations, the police do not suspect foul play. Investigations are ongoing.

Family searched several places over three days

Over the past three days, the family searched areas where Mr Chan had previously lived, worked, or frequently visited, including Jurong, Bugis and Bukit Timah.

“We really searched everywhere we could, and kept appealing on social media, hoping someone would see him,” his son said. He added that many concerned members of the public called after seeing the appeals, and that the family is grateful for the public’s assistance.

Had gone missing twice before

Mr Chan first went missing in November 2024 and was later found near his home, having suffered a fall. He was subsequently hospitalised for more than two months.

Mr Chan went missing again in October this year and was taken to hospital after falling near his home.

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