Re. “Her name was Serenity. Never forget it.” Paula Simons, Nov. 19
I never will forget Serenity. How is it possible to forget her after seeing that little face and reading Paula Simons’s heartbreaking account of her short painful life. How is it possible to take a child from a happy life with good foster parents and place her with people simply because they are family members?
There is something dreadful about this system. It is unforgivable to hear that nobody from Alberta social services checked on this little girl or her siblings for 11 months. Somebody should be called to account for this. This little one died in 2014 and we are only hearing about it now in 2016.
This review was less than adequate and to hear that is still being investigated by the RCMP two years later is pathetic.
Marion Pritchard, Sherwood Park
Serenity’s death raises so many questions
Re. “Her name was Serenity. Never forget it.” Paula Simons, Nov. 19
I will never forget a little girl named Serenity. The pictures in the Journal depict a fun, loving, innocent child.
Paula Simons’ column raises many questions. They include: Why did welfare workers not check on the children for 11 months while in this home? Why were Serenity’s mother and relatives reportedly denied the chance to see her and her siblings? This little girl never had a chance in life.
Serenity never had a lawyer to investigate her treatment. The public, including First Nations people, should demand a thorough investigation. We owe that to Serenity.
Darryl Havrelock, Edmonton
Alberta must protect vulnerable children
Re. “Her name was Serenity. Never forget it.” Paula Simons, Nov. 19
When I saw Serenity’s picture in the Edmonton Journal my eyes did a double take; this could’ve been my granddaughter.
Instead of removing children from their homes it would seem a more holistic option to send supports to the family and help them raise their own children. There needs to be further investigation. We cannot afford to let any more children die in care.
M.J. Gariano, Edmonton
Rethink emphasis on kinship care
Re. “Her name was Serenity. Never forget it.” Paula Simons, Nov. 19 and “Death of child in care leads to calls for change,” Nov. 16
To say I was outraged reading about the harm to this innocent four-year-old girl would be an understatement. My reason for writing is to alert people to contact their respective MLA and demand that the kinship placement policy be revoked or repealed. Do whatever it takes to fix this foolish and outdated policy.
A child’s safety and life is much more important than a specific family or a culture. Foster homes are usually checked regularly to ensure that children are safe and well-nourished as was Serenity in the foster home where she was originally placed. When social services yanked her away why didn’t they perform the same regular checks to ensure that Serenity was being cared for and nourished?
And why haven’t any charges been laid?
Molly Anne Warring, Edmonton
City needs to grow with kids in mind
We here in Old Strathcona are fighting hard to keep children in our community and strangely we are up against the planning department and city hall.
Unlike what was reported as happening in Westmount where some residents are opposed to a proposed daycare, Old Strathcona understands that children are essential to its future. We are outraged that the city and its planners insist on allowing an apartment building, more suited for young adults, to replace housing for families.
Not only are they allowing a large apartment building to replace four residential houses on 84 Avenue and to be plunked beside a home where young children currently live, the city is going against Old Strathcona’s area redevelopment plan (ARP) that calls for townhouses. Council and its planners insist on ignoring the ARP, blocking their ears to local knowledge and dismissing the current residents’ expertise to force this unwelcome apartment building into our neighbourhood.
Peigi Rockwell, Edmonton
Bolting from party should trigger byelection
Re. “Right to left: Jansen joins NDP government,” Nov. 18
Sandra Jansen may have had her reasons for crossing the floor to join the NDP, but it is still not right.
She was elected by her constituents in Calgary-North West to represent them as a PC MLA. As a result, she should resign and run for the NDP in a byelection. Let the constituents decide if they want to support her as a NDP MLA. Floor crossing should not be permitted for any MLA or Member of Parliament, even to sit as an independent.
C. M. Imbeault, Edmonton
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