Foster child's death ignites rash of accusations from politicians

Foster child's death ignites rash of accusations from politicians

A small pink coffin holds a young girl who died while in foster care last week.

Updated: Mon Mar. 08 2010 17:15:59

ctvedmonton.ca

The death of a 21-month-old girl who died while in foster care has sparked an outbreak of accusations from the opposition.

The NDP is calling for more information to be released to the public about the little girl. They say the public has a right to know, but the Alberta government maintains that privacy laws prevent it from disclosing certain information.

"It's not enough just to say that you care when you are the one in charge. Why has the premier failed to take action to better protect the children in this government's care? asks NDP MLA Rachel Notley.

"We believe there is a lot of information that can and should be released without compromising the privacy of the children."

In a letter addressed to Children and Youth Services Minister Yvonne Fritz, Notley asks how many children were in the care of the foster family, how long ago the family was approved to provide foster care, and how long the home has operated as a foster home.

But the minister is remaining tight-lipped for now.

"I think that people do have a right to know all that we can share with them. I am meeting with my legal representative this afternoon," she said.

A review of the entire child-care intervention system is expected to be released in May. Stelmach says the review will serve to show the government where changes in the system may be needed.

But Notley says the information should be required right now.

"What I know is we don't have all the information and that's what we need because I think we all care about getting the best results."

A memorial service will be held Tuesday for the little girl. Her death is now being investigated as a homicide by the RCMP.

And while police have not released the cause of death, the child's biological family says it may be a case of shaken baby syndrome. RCMP have not released the child's name.

The biological mother says her daughter was murdered and was wrongfully placed in the foster care system.

The mother, who cannot be named, believes her daughter was unjustly taken from her and adds that she was working with a lawyer to get custody of her daughter.

"Someone murdered my daughter," she said in a statement to CTV News. "I have other children in my care. I am standing here looking at my son."

The child passed away at the Stollery Children's Hospital last Wednesday, two days after an alleged incident at her foster home in the Morinville area.

With files from Dez Melenka



Foster child's death ignites rash of accusations from politicians

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