We expected change with the NDP folks and we got nothing. No change.
What we have are NDP supporters bleating about change when the facts are clear.
1) Autopsy report took two years and happened under the NDP watch.
2) The police investigation is taking forever and is happening under the NDP watch.
3) Instead of doing a public inquiry we have the continuation of the PC fun and games of the roundtable sort in the #PanelPolitics.
4) We have two kids (siblings of Serenity) yanked from the home where there were problems and yet we are given the unbelievable news that there are six other kids who aren't yanked. Why not? Why is it unsafe for Serenity and her siblings but not for the kids remaining in the home?
Current Circumstances
Naomi and Kolby have been returned to their mother’s care. The criminal investigation remains ongoing.
Naomi and Kolby have been returned to their mother’s care. The criminal investigation remains ongoing.
5) From the report on "Marie" who is Serenity by the Child and Youth Advocate's Office we get the surprising news that the adult members of this family other than the prospective guardians were not subject to a police check. What the heck??? Does no one see a problem in this failure?
A home study was completed over three visits with Anne and Bruce. While some of their children and grandchildren were present during the home study, they were not interviewed separately. Criminal record checks and child intervention history checks were completed for Anne and Bruce, but not for their adult children residing in the home.15
6) The mother's concerns were investigated and no abuse found; then community members complained and a case file was opened but no action taken for the three months that it took for Serenity to receive the end game status.
http://www.ocya.alberta.ca/…/InvRev_4-Year-Old-Marie_2016No…
http://www.ocya.alberta.ca/…/InvRev_4-Year-Old-Marie_2016No…
Marie at 4 years old
Shortly after Marie’s fourth birthday, the police received a concern that Naomi and Kolby were unsupervised in the community and appeared to be malnourished. The
police met with Anne and she said the children had tapeworms when they were placed with her.
Child Intervention Services was notified and the matter was assigned to an Intake worker.21
Shortly after Marie’s fourth birthday, the police received a concern that Naomi and Kolby were unsupervised in the community and appeared to be malnourished. The
police met with Anne and she said the children had tapeworms when they were placed with her.
Child Intervention Services was notified and the matter was assigned to an Intake worker.21
Circumstances Surrounding Marie’s Death
Three months later, four-year-old Marie was taken to hospital with an extensive brain injury. Doctors noted bruising, at various stages of healing, on her body and she was significantly underweight.22 Her guardians said that Marie had fallen while playing with her siblings on a swing.
The following day, Naomi and Kolby were interviewed by child intervention staff and police. They disclosed that Marie was often hit because she was bad, did not listen and stole food. Naomi and Kolby were apprehended and placed with a relative. Marie was apprehended and remained in hospital on life support for about one week before she passed away.
Three months later, four-year-old Marie was taken to hospital with an extensive brain injury. Doctors noted bruising, at various stages of healing, on her body and she was significantly underweight.22 Her guardians said that Marie had fallen while playing with her siblings on a swing.
The following day, Naomi and Kolby were interviewed by child intervention staff and police. They disclosed that Marie was often hit because she was bad, did not listen and stole food. Naomi and Kolby were apprehended and placed with a relative. Marie was apprehended and remained in hospital on life support for about one week before she passed away.
It is astonishing to me that folks are blaming the mother for the death of Serenity. Then there are comments about First Nations folks that indicate to me a lack of respect for them
What does Allan Starr mean by "Typical native attitude"? I'd say we indicate to him that this sort of comment is rather biased.
What does Allan Starr mean by "Typical native attitude"? I'd say we indicate to him that this sort of comment is rather biased.
Allan Starr
Melanie. She died in the care of kin. Typical native attitude, it always the Goverments fault.....
Like · Reply · 6 · May 17, 2017 6:17pm
Melanie. She died in the care of kin. Typical native attitude, it always the Goverments fault.....
Like · Reply · 6 · May 17, 2017 6:17pm
Julie Ali · University of Alberta
It is the government's fault. They were responsible for the care of the children as the Public parents.
If the government takes children away from the parents, it is responsible for the care of the children.
When the government fails to determine that the placement is appropriate, when government fails to investigate care concerns, when government takes three months to investigate concerns from the community during which time Serenity dies, well then it is the government's fault.
It is the government's fault. They were responsible for the care of the children as the Public parents.
If the government takes children away from the parents, it is responsible for the care of the children.
When the government fails to determine that the placement is appropriate, when government fails to investigate care concerns, when government takes three months to investigate concerns from the community during which time Serenity dies, well then it is the government's fault.
Please note also that there were failures to do the proper checks of all the folks living at this placement:
http://www.ocya.alberta.ca/.../InvRev_4-Year-Old-Marie...
A home study was completed over three visits with Anne and Bruce. While some of
their children and grandchildren were present during the home study, they were not
interviewed separately. Criminal record checks and child intervention history checks
were completed for Anne and Bruce, but not for their adult children residing in the
home.15
Like · Reply · 10 mins
A home study was completed over three visits with Anne and Bruce. While some of
their children and grandchildren were present during the home study, they were not
interviewed separately. Criminal record checks and child intervention history checks
were completed for Anne and Bruce, but not for their adult children residing in the
home.15
Like · Reply · 10 mins
Julie Ali · University of Alberta
Also what exactly do you mean by "Typical native attitude". Is this the same as "Typical Non-native attitude" that natives think like this?
Like · Reply · 9 mins
Also what exactly do you mean by "Typical native attitude". Is this the same as "Typical Non-native attitude" that natives think like this?
Like · Reply · 9 mins
http://edmontonjournal.com/news/politics/serenitys-family-demand-public-inquiry-into-the-little-girls-death
Serenity's family demand public inquiry into the little girl's death
Published on: May 17, 2017 | Last Updated: May 17, 2017 6:06 PM MDT
Serenity, as a happy toddler riding her trike. SUPPLIED
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Serenity’s family is demanding a public inquiry into the little girl’s death.
They sat in the legislative gallery Wednesday, stone-faced as they surveyed question period below.
The family members made their way to the legislative building in Edmonton to get answers about the little girl who died, aged four, after a traumatic head injury while in kinship care. Under the provisions of the province’s Child, Youth and Family Enhancement Act, the Journal cannot publish information which would serve to identify Serenity’s surviving siblings.
Serenity’s great uncle, who saw himself as more of a grandfather to the child, labelled government inaction on the file as “bureaucratic stupidity at its best,” and said Premier Rachel Notley should be ashamed.
“We’re supposed to be a progressive society, but I don’t see it,” he said.
“When our leaders turn a blind eye to children dying, it’s unacceptable.”
Serenity was just 18 pounds when she died, the weight of a typical nine-month-old infant, and had arrived at hospital with severe hypothermia, a fractured skull and a body covered in deep bruises, including her anal and genital areas.
Unanswered questions
Mike Ellis, Progressive Conservative MLA for Calgary-West, asked questions on behalf of the family, yet the answers from Notley and Justice Minister Kathleen Ganley provided little comfort.
Ellis wanted to know why Serenity’s mother hasn’t been kept abreast of developments in the police case, why the government has withheld information from her since her daughter’s 2014 death, and why no moves have been made to take other children from the same home where Serenity was living.
Ellis also repeated a call he has made numerous times this session, which was echoed by the family afterwards — there should be a public inquiry into Serenity’s death.
Serenity’s uncle acknowledged there are cases where blind disclosure is inappropriate, but demanded action on the file.
He came to the legislature Wednesday hoping for some resolution to the family’s ordeal.
“But honestly, I got what I expected out of Premier Notley today, which was nothing,” he said.
Still no justice
The case is currently with a Crown prosecutor, but it took more than two years after Serenity’s death to get there. In fact, it took two years just for the autopsy report to be done.
While Notley offered an apology to the family Wednesday, she said it is important for the justice system to do its work.
“It is frustrating for all of us, but we can’t compromise that, because that would be yet another injustice,” Notley said in the legislature.
“We absolutely owe them an apology, all of us do, because there are so many ways in which the work that we do to support these children and their families can and must be better. That’s absolutely true. There’s no qualification to that.
“It must be done better.”
egraney@postmedia.com
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