Family of slain 6-year-old suing Quebec youth protection, health board
The family of a slain six-year-old girl has filed a lawsuit against Quebec youth protection and the Montreal south-central health and social services centre (CIUSSS).
The girl was killed by her mother in 2020, and the family said repeated calls for the child to be removed were ignored.
"She was forgotten, ignored by youth protection," said Maelie's half-sister Mari-Lou Filiatrault. "The very people we turn to when we fear for the safety of our children."
The lawsuit alleges four reports of negligence, including excessive alcohol and drug use, were made to youth projection but Filiatrault said they were ignored.
"I tried to help my half-sister," said Filiatrault. "I did everything I could to keep her safe and to try and save her. I wanted to get her out of there."
In July 2020, several 911 calls were made around 3 a.m., reporting yelling inside a home in the Mercier-Hochelaga-Maisonneuve borough.
When police arrived, they found a six-year-old girl inside with several stab wounds.
She later died in the hospital.
Her mother pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and is now serving a 10-year sentence.
The lawsuit is seeking $3 million in damages and hopes to fix what the family calls a broken system.
"It's for the system to wake up," said family lawyer Valerie Assouline.
"Had we listened to the sister, had we listened to the four calls, not one, not two, four, the family is convinced that Maelie would be alive today."
CTV News reached out to both the minister responsible for youth protection and the regional health board, but neither would comment on the situation as it's before the courts.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Speaker kicks Poilievre out of Commons over unparliamentary comments
Speaker Greg Fergus kicked Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre out of the House of Commons during question period today.
Baby, grandparents among 4 people killed in wrong-way police chase on Ontario's Hwy. 401
A police chase which started with a liquor store robbery in Bowmanville Monday night ended in tragedy some 20 minutes later when a suspect fleeing police entered Highway 401 in the wrong direction and caused a pileup which killed an infant and the child's grandparents, as well as the suspect, investigators say.
Man dies after suffering cardiac arrest while waiting in ER, widow wants investigation
When an ambulance took David Lippert to the hospital in March of 2023, the 68-year-old Kitchener, Ont., executive was hoping to find out why he was feeling weak and unable to walk. Some 24 hours later, he was found unresponsive in the ER.
Sword-wielding man attacks passersby in London, killing a 14-year-old boy and injuring 4 others
A man wielding a sword attacked members of the public and police officers in a northeast London suburb Tuesday, killing a 14-year-old boy and injuring four other people, British authorities said.
Conservatives push motion calling for Carney to testify, say it's about 'accountability'
The federal Conservatives made good on their promise to push for former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney to testify before MPs, resulting in a heated political debate in Ottawa on Tuesday.
Freeland previews omnibus budget bill, proposed capital gains tax change left out
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland will be tabling yet another omnibus bill to pass a sweeping range of measures promised in her April 16 federal budget, though left out of the legislation will be the government's proposed capital gains tax change.
London Drugs stores remain closed, 'cybersecurity incident' may have breached personal data
London Drugs says it is working with third-party security experts as the company tries to reopen dozens of stores across Western Canada that were shuttered by a cybersecurity incident Sunday.
McGill requests 'police assistance' over pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University says it has 'requested police assistance' about the pro-Palestinian encampment on its lower field.
WATCH Arnold Schwarzenegger spotted filming in Elora, Ont.
The name of the project has not been officially released although it’s widely believed to be the Netflix series FUBAR.