On July 7, a 70-year-old Jacksonville man with dementia, Victor Montano, left Westchester Assisted Living in Baymeadows and was later found dead in nearby woods, his family says. What his relatives describe as a confusing string of early-morning texts from staff, followed by what they see as a long delay before police were called, has them furious and pressing for accountability. The case has put a spotlight on the facility’s safety protocols and how it handles residents who are at risk of wandering off.
Montano was reported missing to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office that morning after staff said he was last seen around 12:45 a.m., shortly after a trash bin caught fire at the property. Deputies were dispatched to Westchester Assisted Living at about 7:30 a.m., according to News4JAX. Later that afternoon, Jacksonville Fire Rescue’s K-9 team located him in a wooded area just south of the community, and he was pronounced dead at the scene, investigators said. Authorities told reporters they do not suspect foul play.
His niece, Melissa Pais, who served as his health-care proxy, shared screenshots of messages she says staff sent her that morning. According to Pais, a 5:39 a.m. text referenced a fire and said “he needs immediate placement elsewhere,” followed by a 6 a.m. message that stated, “he walked off and I haven’t been able to interview him yet,” and then a 7:45 a.m. text saying police had been called, News4JAX reports. “This is just not what I was expecting. I moved him here, hoping he would be safe,” Pais told the station. The family also points to an October 2025 state inspection that they say cited the facility for failing to maintain documentation of required resident elopement-response drills.
State rules on elopement drills
Florida regulations require assisted-living communities to run and document at least two resident elopement prevention and response drills each year and to verify which staff members participate, as outlined in the Florida Administrative Code. The Florida Administrative Code and prior agency actions show facilities can be cited when those drills are not properly documented. Montano’s relatives say that history is a key part of why they are demanding clear answers about what training and procedures were in place when he disappeared.
Westchester of Jacksonville lists its address as 8700 A.C. Skinner Parkway in Baymeadows, and the community’s website offers a phone number for resident families. Relatives, however, say they still do not understand why staff did not realize sooner that Montano had left the building. As of Friday, Westchester of Jacksonville had not posted a public statement about the incident. Families who suspect neglect or a licensing violation can contact the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration’s complaint center, which oversees inspections and enforcement for assisted-living facilities.
