Missing Man Found Dead In Pond Near Spotsylvania Hospital: Police

SPOTSYLVANIA COUNTY, VA — A missing man who was blind was found dead in a retention pond near the Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center on Monday, authorities said.

The Spotsylvania County Sheriff's has confirmed that the body in the pond is Billy Ray Arthur. Arthur, who was visually impaired, was reported missing after he left the hospital on Monday morning.

"I can confirm that we were investigating a missing person case involving Mr. Arthur," Major Troy Skebo of the sheriff's office told Patch. "A body was found in the retention pond behind the hospital around 2:30PM yesterday."

Read more: Missing Spotsylvania Man Is Visually Impaired, May Need Help

Skebo said no further information was available, as the investigation is ongoing.

Ashley Minton-Smith is Arthur's sister. On Facebook, she claimed that Arthur drowned.

"They let my blind brother walk out of the hospital and die minutes later," Minton-Smith wrote on the sheriff's office post about her brother.

Now, Minton-Smith has started a GoFundMe campaign so she can pay for her brother's burial.

"We are trying to prepare funeral arrangements, however he did not have burial insurance, so we are struggling to come up with money to lay him to rest," Minton-Smith wrote for the fundraiser. "Anything you can do, any small amount, helps."

In 19 hours, the fundraiser has earned $360 toward a $5,000 goal. Commenters have already shared well wishes for Arthur's family.

"I hope God wraps his arms around y’all in this time of need," one donor wrote. "Billy will surely be missed."