Canada: Foster Parent on Trial for Murder of 3-Year-Old Foster Child
An unidentified Canadian foster parent, age 34, is on trial, accused of second-degree murder. Her three-year-old foster child, a Native American boy, died of a severe head injury sustained on January 26, 2007. The foster parent, a nurse, took the boy to the bathroom in the middle of the night and there he either fell and hit his head during a temper fit, or she hit him. The court must decide which is true.
A forensic pathologist, Dr. Bernard Bannach, testified that there was a sudden, unexpected blow to the head causing the brain to rotate within the skull, tearing veins and causing a subdural hematoma. He admitted that this could conceivably be caused by a fall rather than by an abusive blow to the head.
Dr. Alex Levin said the boy’s brain seemed to have been subjected to severe repeated trauma. The boy’s body was also covered with severe bruises including on the feet and lower back - places boys don’t usually bruise themselves.
In his opening statement the prosecutor, Mark Huyser-Wierenga, said that children with similar injuries were involved in automobile accidents or falls from three stories up, and that this injury couldn’t have been caused by anything other than child abuse.
Child protection social worker Edele Kaffo said that she saw nothing wrong with the way the child was being cared for by the accused foster parent. Her opinion was based on telephone calls and home visits between December 6, 2006, and January 26, 2007. Apparently the boy was in the home less than two months. He was taken from his poverty-stricken parents who were allegedly accused of instability, domestic violence, and alcoholism.
The foster mother believed the boy had fetal alcohol syndrome and took him to a pediatrician several times. The boy’s doctor, Dr. Kan Lee, testified that she claimed the boy woke up screaming and saying, “Daddy hurt me” and “Daddy bad.” He said that during the first doctor’s office visit the boy had multiple small bruises on his forehead, legs, and back as well as a cut on his thigh. During the second visit there were two new bruises.
Sources:
Blood-flooded brain led to boy’s death by Ben Gelinas, published in the Edmonton Journal.
No concerns about foster mom, case worker tells Edmonton murder trial by Florence Loyie, published in the Edmonton Journal.
Toddler showed signs of disorder: Foster mother complained of outbursts, court told by Karen Kleiss published October 30, 2008 in the Edmonton Journal.
Blow that killed foster boy was sudden, hard, court hears by Karen Kleis, published October 22, 2008 in the Edmonton Journal.
Ex-foster mother pleads not guilty to murder by Jennifer Yang, published October 15, 2008 in the Edmonton Journal.
CPS is a worldwide weapon of mass destruction. Too bad Canada doesn’t have the death penalty. They need to put that child collecting foster f&*k in a cell with ME!!!
Comment by Susan — November 9, 2008 @ 7:43 pm
Wow.
I haven’t read all the articles yet, but even AS a foster parent, I agree with Susan. I hope her cellmates find out why she’s there….. That poor baby - and POVERTY?!!? Are you frikken kidding me? Poverty - help the parents; drugs/alcohol - educate and HELP the parents! Sounds so simple, wonder why CPS hasn’t gotten that memo yet….
Comment by Meg — November 9, 2008 @ 10:03 pm
omg is all i can say that poor little boy…i hope the person responsible for this gets what they deserve for the rest of their life!!!! cps will one day hopefully see the destruction they have caused to millions and millions of babies and their family’s
Comment by jessica welch — November 10, 2008 @ 1:21 pm
makes me ill to my stomach.that poor baby,how many more out there in foster care,being abused that we haven’t heard about yet?
god bless there souls.
Comment by margie meeks — November 11, 2008 @ 10:36 am
Folks in Canada might wish to network with:
Robert
At http://www.fixcas.com
Should you need help in Canada, he is the go to guy.
Comment by Fern — November 12, 2008 @ 10:59 am
GUILTY!!!!!! The jury came back today with a verdict of guilty to manslaughter!!!!!
Comment by Jean — November 29, 2008 @ 11:07 pm
I was accused of the same things. (Not the murder part, but the poverty, instability and alcoholism). Here is where it gets messed up… I am allergic to alcohol, and have known that for 24 years…I don’t drink, and never have. I was poor because I decided that I didn’t need a man, or child support from the “sperm donors” that were kind enough to give me the two beautiful boys I prayed so hard to have. It took ten years and 16 pregnancies to have two healthy, and LIVE babies. I was informed that my mother wouldn’t lie about me, and that if I wanted to keep trying to defend myself I would be held in contempt of court. I was also informed(by the judge ) that heresey(hear - say) is admissable as evidence in Family Court, and that the fact that my mother(who is on prozac for being suicidal) couldn’t prove anything she was saying (as I have no record of any kind) didn’t matter. It was said and thats the way it was. I no longer have my children. The courts gave my eldest to my half-sister, and decided that they should give my youngest up for adoption, tell them I GAVE them away, and never let them see each other let alone me. Because I decided to do it on my own instead of ask for handouts. I also can’t afford a lawyer anymore, because I have spent every dime I had on trying to save my tiny family. I sold everything, and friends are letting me stay for free so I can concentrate on this…but it turns out, NO ONE IN CANADA OUT RANKS A CHILD WELFARE WORKER…I got a letter from Ottowa to that effect…how do we fight this???????
Comment by Rachel Oliver — December 10, 2008 @ 11:51 am
Of all people … you would think the posters’ of the comments would know the damage done when presuming guilt before innocence. Accidents do happen, and that child could very well have fallen. As to shaken baby syndrome….this is absolute junk science, I have to ask though what weight Dr. Alex Levins’ testimony carries in this case? Dr. Alex Levin said the boy’s brain SEEMED to have been subjected to severe repeated trauma, Dr. Levin is not a neurosurgeon, nor a radiologist as I recall. He is a pediatrician, opthamologist, You would think he would leave his opinions as just that and only testify to his expertise…retinal hemorages. Also Dr. Levin has a vested interest in keeping the shaken baby myth alive. He makes huge sums of money in grants. GOOGLE “GOUDGE INQUIRY”
Comment by Lisa — January 5, 2009 @ 10:14 pm