'How is this child protection?': Family of six-year-old B.C. boy seeks answers after death in foster care
The tragic death of a six-year-old boy on Vancouver Island is under review after his mom says he died less than a week into being placed in foster care without an explanation to her family.
Jade Ratchford says her son, Oliver, was found unresponsive, face down in a pond and later died in hospital.
“They took my baby. They killed him… MCFD killed my son,” she writes in a statement blaming the B.C. Ministry of Children and Family Development. “How is this child protection? How is this right? How is this the government’s idea of what safety is?”
Grace Lore, the children's minister, said she cannot comment on any case related to a child in care, even when a family comes forward, due to privacy reasons. Lore said the situation is every parent’s worst nightmare.
“My thoughts are with the family and community of this little boy. I’m a mom of a seven- and a nine-year-old. I cannot imagine what this family is going through,” said Lore.
She says foster parents undergo rigorous assessments before a child is placed in their care, including home safety visits.
“It is my expectation and my direction to the ministry that we are doing everything if a child dies in care so that we understand what happened and how it happened so we can take actions to ensure children are safe and protected – whether at home or in our care,” said Lore.
B.C.’s watchdog for children and youth says her office will also conduct a review.
Representative for children and youth Dr. Jennifer Charlesworth says the system is facing tremendous pressure.
“We’re seeing workforce shortages unlike anything I have ever seen in my 46 years of practice. We’re seeing situations (where) there’s simply not the capacity to provide the services and resources that are necessary,” said Charlesworth. “So the complexity of what we’re dealing with right now, our system was never designed to meet those kinds of needs.”
Oliver’s allies support the spotlight on accountability and have turned to helping his family.
Family friend Stephanie Paquette says she’s collecting donations to pay for funeral costs, meals and other expenses.
“[Oliver] is such a sweet, funny, smart, very curious little boy. And everyone who knew him fell in love with him. So yeah, I’m just heartbroken,” said Paquette.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Woman with liver failure rejected for a transplant after medical review highlights alcohol use
For nearly three months, Amanda Huska has been in an Ontario hospital, part of it on life support, because of severe liver failure. Her history of alcohol use is getting in the way of her only potential treatment: a liver transplant.
B.C. man 'attacked suddenly' by adult grizzly near Alberta boundary: RCMP
A B.C. man is recovering from multiple injuries after he was "attacked suddenly" by an adult grizzly bear near Elkford Thursday afternoon.
Box tree moths have infested Ontario and experts say more are coming. Here's what to do to protect your garden
An invasive moth species is on the rise in Canada and, if you've planted a certain shrub, it could stand to ruin your garden.
His SUV was stolen on Montreal's South Shore. Then he got a $156 parking ticket
A couple is frustrated after their SUV was stolen from Montreal's South Shore in March and they received a parking ticket for the same vehicle last week.
To plant or not to plant? Gardening tips for May long weekend
May long weekend is finally here, and with the extra time off you may be getting the itch to head out to your garden and plant. However, the old debate whether you should plant now, or wait, is still ever-present.
Impaired driver sentenced to 7 years after double-fatal Cambridge crash
A man who killed two people in a drunk driving crash was sentenced Friday to seven years behind bars.
Banking mogul suing government after intelligence leaks leave him shut out of Canadian economy
Chinese Canadian banking mogul Shenglin Xian has launched a $300 million lawsuit against the federal government. It’s a means to find the source of intelligence leaks which Xian says has cost him his livelihood.
Backlash over NFL player Harrison Butker's commencement speech has reached a new level
The NFL is distancing itself from controversial comments by Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker during a recent commencement address.
Serial sexual offender linked to unsolved 1970s homicides of four Calgary girls, women
An investigation into unsolved historical homicides from the 1970s has linked the deaths of two girls and two young women in and around Calgary to a now-deceased serial offender.