B.C. boy’s story of torture, neglect has power to inspire system reform: report

WARNING: This communicative deals pinch situations that whitethorn beryllium distressing to immoderate readers. Discretion is advised.

The communicative of an 11-year-old Indigenous boy calved pinch aesculapian challenges and placed successful galore foster attraction homes, yet suffering horrific maltreatment astatine nan hands of his mother’s relative and her partner shows really nan strategy of attraction successful B.C. needs to change, according to a caller report.

The Representative of Children and Youth released nan study connected Tuesday, titled Don’t Look Away – How 1 boy’s communicative has nan powerfulness to displacement a strategy of attraction for children and youth.

The boy astatine nan centre of nan story, named Colby successful bid to protect his identity, died connected Feb. 28, 2021 aft video footage 4 days earlier from nan location successful which he was surviving showed his mother’s cousin, Staci, many times beating Colby to nan constituent he became unresponsive.

According to nan report, she past waited 40 minutes earlier calling 911 aliases seeking help.

“Five ambulances arrived connected nan scene. When first responders headed to nan house, Colby was unresponsive,” nan study states.

“One paramedic described being ‘flabbergasted’ by what she saw. Colby was truthful thin, and cold. His business was truthful grave, Air Ambulance and Advanced Life Support were called. The RCMP was besides called. According to documents, Staci told first responders and constabulary a assortment of conflicting stories.”

Colby was flown by chopper to Vancouver but erstwhile he was examined and recovered to person injuries to his brain, head, lungs, abdominal organs and skin.

“He was chronically malnourished, weighing conscionable 28.8 kilograms erstwhile he died, compared to nan mean weight of a kid his property of 48.9 kilograms,” nan study states.

“The specialists believed his injuries were non-accidental. Radiology revealed that he had aggregate fractures and a CT scan showed that he had a traumatic and inoperable encephalon wounded that was incompatible pinch life.”

Colby was removed from life support 4 days aft nan battle and died.

As a consequence of Colby’s story, nan investigation recovered that a much collaborative attack to child, younker and family well-being should beryllium pursued.

The study identifies 4 awesome themes: nan prevention of friendly partner and family violence; enhanced family support services; amended inter-agency collaboration; and amended support for those providing kinship care.

“As nan minister, arsenic a mom, location are not words for what Colby and nan different children whose stories are shared successful this study experienced,” said Grace Lore, Minister of Children and Family
Development successful a statement.

“Every kid successful our state deserves safety, belonging and love. For each of nan children successful this report, we must perpetrate to getting it correct and emergence to nan changes their stories demand. We must fundamentally displacement our attack to supporting susceptible families and communities. Supporting kid and younker well-being requires an all-of-government approach. It requires moving together pinch organization partners, First Nations and Indigenous communities.”

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The attraction of nan activity will include: processing a kid and younker action scheme for each of authorities that focuses connected kid and younker well-being; processing an outcomes-based model for measurement and accountability; strengthening accusation sharing betwixt ministries and work providers; moving crossed ministries to reside nan causes and ongoing impacts of family and gender-based violence, particularly for Indigenous women, girls, Two-Spirit group and children.

It will besides attraction on: examining what functions of family supports and kid protection tin beryllium separated to supply a much co-ordinated attack that focuses connected nan well-being of children pinch their families; exploring nan reconfiguration of kid and family services crossed ministries including for Children and Youth pinch Support Needs and Child and Youth Mental Health; and exploring nan constitution of a assemblage for nan intent of supporting Indigenous governing bodies pinch nan resumption of jurisdiction.

If you require affectional support nan pursuing resources are available:

Kid’s Help Phone (1-800-668-6868, aliases matter CONNECT to 686868) is disposable 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to Canadians ages 5 to 29 who want confidential and anonymous attraction from a counsellor.

KUU-US Crisis Line (1-800-588-8717) is disposable to support Indigenous group successful B.C., 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The Métis Crisis Line (1-833-638-4722) is disposable 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Youth successful BC (https://youthinbc.com) Online Chat is disposable from noon to 1 a.m. successful B.C.

Mental Health Support Line (310-6789 – nary area code) will link you to your section B.C. situation statement without a hold aliases engaged signal, 24 hours a day. Crisis statement workers are location to perceive and support you arsenic good arsenic mention you to organization resources.

Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Crisis Line (1-844-413-6649) is disposable to individuals impacted by missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The National Indian Residential School Crisis Line (1-866-925-4419) provides 24-hour situation support to erstwhile Indian Residential School students and their families.