Waywayseecappo family says CFS treated them poorly after toddler's death

A Waywayseecappo First Nation family believes they are being treated unfairly by police and child-welfare officials as they cope with the death of a two-year-old boy.

• Death of boy, 2, on Waywayseecappo First Nation under investigation

The boy, who CBC won’t be naming, died Saturday.

His great-uncle said the boy bumped his head roughhousing with his sister.

It was hard for her because when the RCMP arrived they wouldn't even perform CPR on the child. All they did was wait for the ambulance.- Uncle of two-year-old boy

“Even when I was visiting there the kid would be climbing around. His mother would tell him, ‘get down from there, you'll fall,’” said the boy’s uncles. “He was constantly climbing around, the little fella.”

Several hours after playing with his sister, the boy was moaning and couldn't wake up. The boy’s mother was trying to change his diaper around 3 a.m. when she noticed he wasn’t responsive, the uncle said.

"They were playing in their room and then he fell off the bed while his mother was doing dishes, cleaning up in the morning,” said the uncle. “And there were no signs of him being really injured. Just a bump on the head and he was okay. He was still playing around."

The boy’s mother called 911. Once police arrived, the mom said they asked her what she had done to her child.

"It was hard for her because when the RCMP arrived they wouldn't even perform CPR on the child. All they did was wait for the ambulance,” said the boy’s uncle. “And they blamed her right away, too. Like, 'what did you do to your child?’”

Hours later, Manitoba Child and Family Services (CFS) arrived and apprehended three of the boy's siblings, all of whom had been in CFS care until recently. CFS was slated to do a review of the family in February.

"I feel betrayed that they could just take my kids like that at a time like this," said the boy's mother.     

The mother hasn't seen her kids since the incident and has been told they won't be allowed to attend their brother's funeral on Monday.

The boy’s mom has not been interviewed by the RCMP yet, the uncle said. The family said they want the kids to be with them during this time of crisis.

The Office of the Medical Examiner confirmed an autopsy on the boy was done. The family has not learned the results.