'Get me out of this place': Teen slain in Carman mass killing begged family, friends for help
Myah Gratton recounted violence, death threats in messages before her death
In the days and months before she was killed, 17-year-old Myah Gratton told friends and family she feared for her safety and asked to be removed from the Carman, Man., house she lived in with four other victims and the man now charged with murder in their deaths.
Myah Gratton's mother, Juliette Hastings, has sent a series of audio recordings and text messages to CBC News, saying they show the child welfare system and family and friends failed to protect her daughter when she asked for help.
"She was ignored," Hastings said.
Gratton didn't send any of the messages to Hastings directly, friends forwarded them to her after Gratton's death. Still, her mother blames herself for not doing more to advocate for her daughter.
"I'm angry and mad at myself," she said.
Ryan Manoakeesick, 29, is charged with five counts of first-degree murder in connection with the deaths of Gratton, his common-law partner, Amanda Clearwater, 30, their three children — Bethany, 6, Jayven, 4, and Isabella, 10 weeks.
Clearwater was found in a ditch just off a highway on Feb. 11, The children's bodies were pulled from a burning vehicle several hours later.
Gratton's body was found later the same day in the home where she lived with Clearwater and Manokeesick.
In an audio recording sent to a friend on Feb. 4, just days before her death, Gratton alleges Manoakeesick was drinking alcohol and "he goes on one huge episode because, like, alcohol and his pills and all, like, don't mix well."
Gratton told a friend that Manoakeesick woke her up at 2 a.m., accusing her of stealing his marijuana. She says Clearwater threatened to report him, but "she didn't end up calling the cops. She just ended up going to bed and I slept in the bathroom."
The next day, Gratton says, she, Clearwater and the children went to visit Clearwater's parents, and alleges Manoakeesick continued to threaten them.
"It was nonstop calling Mandy, threatening her. 'I'm going to kill you.' … But Mandy wants us to go home and I don't know why."
In another audio recording, Gratton says she needs to be "in a better environment than I'm in right now." She describes putting her clothes, weed, medication and makeup in her backpack and using it as a pillow so no one in the house will steal it.
Gratton said Clearwater threatened to call the police if Manoakeesick, who can be heard coughing in the background, didn't go to the "mental hospital."
"He threatened to kill Mandy last night and he kicked her while she was trying to pick up the baby," Gratton said, adding she has video of the incident because Clearwater "wants us to have stuff against him to report.… If he doesn't leave, we're going to call the cops and show them all the videos."
In a third audio message, Gratton alleged Manoakeesick threw dishes at her.
CBC News has verified the audio and the friend to whom it was sent.
'Trapped in hell'
In a December text message to her stepfather, Lawrence Balacko, Gratton asked him to "get me out of this place dad. Please … I feel like I'm trapped in hell."
Balacko said the RCMP has asked him not to release the full text conversation and he does not want to comment because it could jeopardize the case against Manoakeesick.
In another text sent to a friend on Dec. 9, 2023, Gratton said she had run away because she had "hurt Ryan bad." She told the friend she had left a message for her worker saying, "I need to be moved out of here."
Balacko said Gratton was depressed at the time and changed her mind about moving. He said he had never heard the audio recordings before, and Gratton never told him her safety concerns.
"I will say this: I talked to Myah on the Saturday the day before [her death]," Balacko said. "Everyone in the house was happy, I had a great conversation with her for almost an hour. There was no hint of what was to come."
Balacko said he remained a "father figure" to Gratton after his relationship with Hastings ended, and described her as "a sweet, caring girl."
Gratton lived with him for more than a year but decided to move back with Hastings in October 2022 after being allegedly attacked and hospitalized by some people she knew.
"She was afraid to walk the streets in St. James," he said.
Six months later, Balacko says, just after she turned 17, Gratton asked to move to Carman and live with Clearwater and Manoakeesick.
Balacko said Gratton had been in care of Winnipeg Child and Family Services (CFS) several times and at one point, was considered "a child in need of protection" after having arguments with her mother.
But Balacko says his stepdaughter was not in care of CFS when she died.
He says Gratton still had a social worker who was visiting her regularly, and supporting Clearwater and Manoakeesick by providing food vouchers for them "because they were in need and Myah was an extra mouth to feed."
Hastings has previously said she had an argument with Gratton in April 2023 about going to live with Clearwater and Manoakeesick, but their relationship was improving.
She showed CBC News a text from Gratton the day she was killed that said in part, "I really do love you and appreciate you. I'm sorry I wasn't good at showing my appreciation toward you."
Mother says authorities failed Gratton
Hastings has criticized the child welfare system for not doing more to protect Gratton.
She told Gratton's social worker her concerns about Manoakeesick's addictions and mental health, and the violent outbursts she had witnessed, but the teen was still allowed to move there.
"They didn't do any safety checks. They didn't do any criminal record checks," Hastings said. "In 2019, he had one [a criminal record].… In order for Maya to stay there, he'd have to leave."
CBC News is aware RCMP were called to the Carman house at least once on Oct. 31, 2023. An RCMP spokesperson said a 29-year-old male was arrested and released the next morning. No charges were laid.
Winnipeg CFS won't comment on any of the allegations, deferring questions to the province.
In an email response, a provincial spokesperson said potential foster parents must undergo background checks, and "if any of the assessments indicate that an individual or caregiver may pose a risk to harm children, they would not be approved as a caregiver."
CFS must respond when a concern is reported that alleges a child is in need of protection.
Staff factor in a child's request on any foster placements and try to keep them with family if possible.
Manitoba's families minister says the province is reviewing all CFS contact in this case. Nahanni Fontaine says she expects that report by the end of April.
In the Legislature on Thursday, Progressive Conservative MLA and families critic Lauren Stone called for an inquiry into the death of Myah Gratton and her involvement with the child welfare system.
Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs Grand Chief Cathy Merrick also said in a statement Thursday she's urgently calling on the Manitoba government to "undertake thorough examination of the circumstances surrounding multiple tragic deaths of children in care."
The Manitoba Advocate for Children and Youth says she can't confirm if she is investigating this case but, if she is, it could take one year to file a report to the authorities, and it wouldn't necessarily be made public.
"If child welfare was involved, we would certainly look at that. Any mental health, addictions — all our domains are reviewable, services are involved. If they're involved, then we review that," Sherry Gott said.