Family of teen beaten in CFS care blames agency for not watching girl
Family of girl beaten has concerns about how CFS cared for her
The grandmother of a 15-year-old girl who was viciously attacked last week while living at a hotel under the care of Child and Family Services (CFS) blames the agency for not watching her closely enough.
The grandmother, who can't be identified, said the girl had been living in a hotel since January of this year and was not attending school.
"I really blame CFS, they should have looked after her, letting her go every day, every night," the grandmother said. "Where are the people supposed to be watching her for 24 hours, where are they? I should have let her stay here, she would be safe here."
She said CFS workers told her the kids at the hotel could come and go as they liked.
The grandmother said she gave up the girl to CFS because she wasn't able to care for her anymore, was set to get an operation and she didn't think relatives could help either.
While under CFS care, the girl came back home almost every night to borrow clothes from relatives because she didn't get any while in care.
She also said she does not believe CFS investigated a fight the girl got into with three other girls at the hotel days before the attack.
"I phoned right away, I said, 'I told you not to let them out at nighttime.' But they're still leaving them and letting them out at nighttime. I said, 'is there security or somebody to watch those kids not to go out at nighttime?'"
She said the girls who beat her granddaughter and the 15-year-old teen boy charged with the brutal assault and sexual assault were all staying at the same hotel under CFS care.
The grandmother said the entire family is very upset over what happened to the girl.
After the attack, an emotionally-rattled Family Services Minister Kerri-Irvin Ross vowed to put an end to the practice of housing kids under CFS care staying by June.
The province said Tuesday there were no children in CFS care in hotels over the Easter weekend.