Foster child dies in Edmonton hospital
CTV News has learned an 18-month-old child passed away at the Stollery Children's Hospital Wednesday, two days after an alleged incident at her foster home in Morinville. The child's biological family says it may be a case of shaken baby syndrome.
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Foster child's death investigated
And, will this child's death be dimished too... Simply described as another "isolated event"? : (
ReplyDeletehttp://www.calgarysun.com/news/alberta/2010/03/04/13104926.html
Second foster care death in three days
By MICHELLE THOMPSON, QMI Agency
Last Updated: March 3, 2010 10:22pm
EDMONTON — The province is investigating the second death of a foster home baby this week.
The child, who was younger than two, died in hospital Wednesday, confirmed Alberta’s child and youth services ministry.
“It’s heartbreaking when any child is in a life-threatening situation,” said Minister Yvonne Fritz.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the child’s family and caregivers.”
The baby had been placed in an Edmonton-area foster home, Fritz said, adding the child was rushed to hospital Monday.
“It’s too soon to speculate about (what happened),” she said.
Citing legal reasons, she said she couldn’t say whether other children also lived in the home.
The death is the second being investigated this week.
On Monday, a one-year-old boy, who had been in foster placement for less than two weeks, died while in care.
NDP Leader Brian Mason said better screening processes are needed to ensure children living in government care are safe.
“The government needs to do a better job of recruiting foster parents, there needs to be more and better screening, and they need to make it more financially rewarding,” Mason said.
“It’s tough work. We support foster parents.
“We think the vast majority do a better job and we feel they need to be supported better.”
Last month in Calgary, police accused a man once named “Foster Parent of the Year” with numerous sex-related offences spanning several years.
Garry Prokopishin, a director for the Calgary & District Foster Parents Association, was charged with luring a child via a data device, three counts of obtaining or attempting to obtain sex from a person under age 18 and sexual contact with a youth by a person in authority.
And last September, an “abusive” Edmonton foster mother convicted of manslaughter in the death of a three-year-old boy in her care was sentenced to three years in prison.
“It’s unconscionable,” Mason said.