A family member of recaptured prison escapee Robert John Everingham was astounded at his health yesterday, after more than six weeks since his last dialysis treatment for a serious kidney disease.
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Everingham, 42, was arrested at a private residence in Narromine on Wednesday night and will appear at Central Local Court on August 17.
He was refused bail by a Dubbo magistrate yesterday in a bedside hearing at Dubbo Base Hospital.
The family member said she was glad he was found alive and was “stunned” that he had managed to survive for so long and remain so healthy.
“I was so worried he was going to go into a coma somewhere,” she said. “They said his organs would shut down without the treatment.”
She said she was told that Everingham, who was usually shy with the media, had every intention of contacting the Daily Liberal to give “his side” of the story before handing himself in.
However, he was captured before he could do so.
Everingham escaped prison guards at the War Memorial Hospital in Waverley on July 1 while he was recieving dialysis treatment, which he needed three times a week.
About 9.15pm on Wednesday night, he was arrested by Dubbo Police at a house in Alagala Street, Narromine.
A GWAHS spokesperson confirmed yesterday that a 42-year-old male was being treated at Dubbo Base Hospital for a kidney disease and was in a “stable” condition.
The family member said after nearly 12 months since his kidney disease diagnosis, perhaps his body was slowly healing itself.
“The most astounding thing about it is the medical side of it,” she said. “Maybe he was misdiagnosed or maybe it’s just a matter of time before he’s better.”
Orana Local Area Command acting commander Inspector Matt Goodwin said Everingham was found inside a home with a number of adults and children, and his recapture came about following some good police work.
“We have since the first of July made many enquiries around some known addresses and locations, particularly in Narromine,” Inspector Goodwin said.
“Yesterday police conducted a number of enquiries on some information that we have been following up for nearly two months now.
“We were able to, through our own observations and investigations yesterday, identify a house in Alagala Street and shortly after 9pm last night we gained entry to that home and arrested Robert Everingham without incident.”
Inspector Goodwin said a lot of work had gone into investigations - both as to his escape in Sydney and across Dubbo and Narromine - and said police would now concentrate on working out how it was possible for him to be on the run for such a long time.
“We need to know how someone can stay out of the spotlight and avoid police for such a long period.”
Everingham was in hospital receiving dialysis treatment yesterday, and Inspector Goodwin said he “obviously” required treatment when police located him on Wednesday night.
He said Everingham was however, in a well enough condition to communicate with police, not resist arrest and walk to the police car.
“Without being an expert, again this man has eluded police and correctives people for over six weeks, so he has been physically capable of doing a number of things and obviously he needed some medical treatment last night,” he said.
Everingham was taken to Dubbo Police Station where he was charged for failing to appear at court on domestic related and assault police charges as well as escaping lawful custody.
