Several news outlets, including the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, have reported that missing State Hospital patient Cory Chapin had been provided contraband — including a cell phone and vaping device — and that a psychological examiner he left with, Michelle Messer, had been questioned about it.

This confirms a telephone report we received from another hospital patient who reported on this and other favors Chapin had bragged about.

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Messer reportedly helped Chapin leave the hospital in her car Tuesday. They are still being sought. She faces a misdemeanor warrant for helping an unauthorized departure and a warrant also has been issued for his pickup.

According to an affidavit from the hospital police chief, Messer denied knowledge of the phone and vaping device. She was told not to have contact with Chapin and instructed to go to her office. Instead she went to a unit of the hospital where Chapin was held and opened a door for him to leave with her when he walked by, according to the Democrat-Gazette account of the affidavit.

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Another patient left a phone message for the Times‘ Jacob Rosenberg this week in which he said Chapin also had other contraband — “drugs and candy bars and a lot of coffee” — in addition to the phone and electronic smoking device. “A lot of people were jealous because he was bragging about all this shit,” the patient said. He also said Messer would occasionally meet with Chapin “in back” for 30 minutes.

Chapin has been in treatment — after an earlier walkoff from a mental health facility in Corning — following his acquittal by reason of mental disease on an attempting kidnapping charge in Eureka Springs. The hospital chief said his escape raises safety concerns for the community and Messer.

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