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.
Youth justice system 'failed' late Sask. teen with hearing disability who tried gesturing severity of illness
'Lack
of care and attention' aggravating factors in teenager's death
By Stefani Langenegger, CBC News Posted: Jun 15, 2016 1:43 PM
Saskatchewan's child advocate, Bob
Pringle, says the youth justice system 'failed' 16-year-old Dylan Lachance.
A 16-year-old teenager with a hearing
disability was left in a cell in a Prince Albert, Sask., youth facility
"trembling and whimpering quietly" despite his deteriorating health
and a number of requests to take the boy for medical help.
By the time a supervisor agreed that
911 should be called and an ambulance arrived, Dylan Lachance had urinated on
himself and was vomiting blood.
Youth
justice system 'failed' late Sask. teen with hearing disability who tried
gesturing severity cute bronchopneumonia with associated
sepsis.
In a special report tabled Wednesday
afternoon in Saskatchewan's legislative assembly, the province's
children's advocate, Bob Pringle, said the system failed the boy.
"While every situation cannot be
foreseen, all child and youth-serving programs in the province must have
policies and practices in place to accommodate young people with
disabilities," Pringle told reporters.
Family members, including Dylan's
mother Dinah, listened on as Pringle outlined the series of events that
led up to Lachance's death.
Dinah Lachance, the mother of
16-year-old Dylan, looks on as the children's advocate delivers his special
report into her son's death. (Neil Cochrane/CBC)
The teenager was picked up by the
RCMP on Sept. 11, 2013 after police responded to reports of boys fighting
outside the high school on the Big River First Nation, about 100
kilometres northwest of Prince Albert.
He was on remand at the Prince Albert
Youth Residence, a secure facility for young offenders run by the provincial
corrections ministry.
Five days later, on Sept.
16, Lachance was complaining of a sore back and was taken to see a
doctor who noticed minor swelling on Dylan's back and prescribed ibuprofen for
the pain.
Teenager 'noticeably
shaky and pale'
But the teenager's condition continued
to deteriorate. Two days later, deputy sheriffs who were transporting
Lachance to a court appearance thought he was "noticeably shaky and
pale" and returned him to the youth facility for treatment.
The advocate's report says the
facility's director dismissed the concerns of the deputy sheriffs and returned
Lachance to his cell.
Later that evening, workers in the
facility also expressed their concerns to a supervisor about Lachance's
deteriorating health and she decided to reassess the situation in the morning.
Just before midnight, workers noticed
that Lachance was vomiting blood and advised the night supervisor that an
ambulance should be called.
The ambulance arrived at hospital after
midnight on Sept. 19, 2013. Lachance died later that day.
Family friend of the Lachance's, Arnold
Blackstar, says it has been a very difficult few years for Dylan's parents and
brothers. (Neil Cochrane/CBC)
Lachance's mother wonders why more
effort was not made to understand her son.
Family friend, Arnold Blackstar, says
Dylan's mother could have intervened — if officials had allowed someone
who understood Dylan to communicate with him.
"Who knows better than a mother's care for their child in terms of illness?" Blackstar asked. "She has had 16 years of caring for her child and not to be included in that process is absolutely horrendous."
"Who knows better than a mother's care for their child in terms of illness?" Blackstar asked. "She has had 16 years of caring for her child and not to be included in that process is absolutely horrendous."
Blackstar says the family is satisfied
with the advocate's report and hopes it may prevent a similar death in the
future.
Drew Wilby, executive director with
Saskatchewan's corrections ministry, says the death of Dylan LaChance has
prompted many changes, including putting a nurse on staff at the youth
correctional facility in Prince Albert. (Neil Cochrane/CBC)
The provincial government says it has
accepted recommendations from a coroner's inquest which reviewed Lachance's
death as well as its own internal review.
"We want to empower our staff to
make decisions," said Drew Wilby, executive director with the Ministry of
Corrections in Saskatchewan.
"We want our frontline staff to
have the ability to make those calls if and when they think they're needed. As
well to improve the lines of communication. I mean it's obvious in this case,
that communication was a big thing," Wilby said.
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