It would be less painful if the workers from the societies and
the police would cut the chest and extract the hearts of the parents,
instead of storming the places of
residence to brutalize the parents and kidnap the children by force, and to
abuse, torture, dying and destroy forever the lives of the children and parents.
– Nadir Siguencia
How can we prevent another Melonie
Biddersingh?
How can we prevent another Melonie
Biddersingh?
Staff Reporter:
How can we prevent another Melonie
Biddersingh? Calling
the attention of the international media and peaceful protests across the
country, denouncing the atrocities committed every day by the ministers of
Children and Family Services, Children's Aid societies and the police against
children and parents.
The
mainstream media is used by the system as a tool to cover up, hide, conceal the
impunity of the most brutal and horrifying atrocities, massacres, slaughters committed
everyday against native and immigrant children by the Government, Ministry of
Children and Family Services, Workers from the Children’s Aid Societies, Police
and the Justice System.
Two
Biggest Criminal Organizations in Canada: The Toronto and Catholic Children’s
Aid Societies?
Canada is one of the
more
dangerous countries in the world for the wellbeing of poor children, youths and
parents, ranking 32th of 35 nations. The roots of mental health, education, protection
and destruction of underprivileged children and youths should be investigated by independent human rights
organizations. Life
annihilation of children and parents by the Ministry of Children and Family
Services, private societies and the corrupted justice system is unacceptably.
Every day Canada's children are in constant danger.
CANADIAN MEDIA ACCOMPLICES OF GENOCIDE AND CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY! There are nations where people live in captivity in fear and silence. I think one day from the fields of prisons and torture cells and exile freedom leaders will emerge. The world should stand with the oppressed people until the day of their freedom finally arrives. . -
How can we prevent another Melonie Biddersingh?
Experts say supports for immigrant
children are needed
By Alyshah HashamStaff Reporter
Sat., June 25, 2016
Melonie Biddersingh’s abuse and death at the
hands of her father and stepmother was preventable, said Det. Sgt. Steve Ryan.
She and her siblings were failed and
failed again — their horrific treatment continuing unchecked in the Parkdale
highrise for years, even after the sudden death of her little brother Dwayne,
the concern of her family in Jamaica and police officers seeing her injuries.
After the children arrived in Canada in
1991, they were never sent to school. Instead they were mostly confined to the
tiny apartment. Dwayne died in 1992 after falling off the balcony one day after
he attempted to run away, his death ruled a suicide. Melonie died in 1994. Her
grotesquely thin body with 21 healing fractures was found burning in a suitcase
in a parking lot. Her older half-brother Cleon survived the abuse, eventually
escaping and building a new life.
The father, Everton Biddersingh, was convicted of
first-degree murder earlier this year, Stepmother Elaine Biddersingh was convicted
Monday of second-degree murder.
“When you think of how long it took for
(Melonie) to die, it breaks my heart,” said Ryan, the veteran homicide
detective who reopened the case in 2012.
And yet, two decades years later,
immigrant children could still suffer the same fate, he said.
“Who knows how many other kids are in
the same situation? We have to stop this from happening again. Shame on all of
us if it does.”
Here are four suggestions to better
protect immigrant children.
Registration at port of entry
After the horrifying circumstances of
Melonie Biddersingh’s death came to light, Councillor Michael Thompson proposed
setting up a system for children immigrating to Canada to be documented upon
arrival and for that information to be shared with local authorities, for
instance the school board where the child would be expected to register.
That would allow the school board to
follow up if the child doesn’t register after a certain length of time and to
find out why. Under such a system, Cleon, Melonie and Dwayne not attending
school would have raised red flags.
“We need to make sure these children
are getting to school. Those are the eyes and ears of the community,” Ryan
said.
The idea is to “make sure the children
are safe in their new homeland,” Thompson said. It could function as an
early-warning system for abuse, but also as a way of providing the children
with better services.
Agencies at the federal, provincial and
local levels have been in talks, Thompson said, but they are still waiting for
the federal and provincial governments to move forward.
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
referred questions about a registry to the Canadian Border Services Agency
which said it was unaware of a plan for such a registry.
Connecting newcomer children with
community groups
Paulette Senior, CEO of YWCA Canada,
suggests newcomer children and families be connected with appropriate community
groups for periodic follow-ups, with the aim of making sure children are safe
and to support them adjusting to life in Canada.
“It’s not a one-time connection. It can
happen until whatever age is appropriate, until they are settled into their new
life and new home,” said Senior.
It’s also a way to make sure parents
know their duties of care, understand the laws and can get advice and support,
as well as make sure children know how to get help.
Ryan said Cleon and Melonie once sat in
the stairwell and discussed running away. But they didn’t know where to go or
who to call for help — and they were wary of the police.
It’s crucial for children to know the
police can help, Ryan said.
Training to recognize abuse and how to
intervene for people who work with children
The Peel Children’s Aid Society — which
has Pearson Airport in its catchment area — has a specialized immigration team
that works with community groups to help them provide support for newcomer
families and children. The society also helps train people who work and
interact with children, including immigration authorities, to recognize signs
of abuse.
“We do a lot of outreach to the
community in educating them. We have 48 community educators who speak around 16
different languages,” said Mary Beth Mollenkamp, Senior Service Manager at Peel
CAS. “The purpose of those sessions is to educate the community and family
members about what Children’s Aid does, about the services we provide and how
we can help because we rely on community members and professionals and family
members to call us.”
Community responsibility
“When it comes to children, it’s
everybody’s business to try to keep them safe,” said Pearl Rimer, Director of
Operations at the Boost Child and Youth Advocacy Centre. “How could those
children be in that apartment, and no one hear screaming or crying? It’s just
not possible.”
Public education on when and how to
report child abuse needs to deal with why people are hesitant to report, Rimer
said. Part of that is changing negative perceptions of Children’s Aid Societies
and building positive relationships between local authorities and communities.
“One of the big fears is ‘what if I’m
wrong?’ But you want to be wrong. You want there to be another explanation,”
said Rimer.
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