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
Robert Pickton stabbed with toothbrush and broken broom handle: victim's family
The family of one of Robert Pickton's victims says the convicted serial killer suffered an incredibly violent death at the hands of another inmate.
Republicans join Trump's attacks on justice system and campaign of vengeance after guilty verdict
Embracing Donald Trump's strategy of blaming the U.S. justice system after his historic guilty verdict, Republicans in Congress are fervently enlisting themselves in his campaign of vengeance and political retribution in the GOP bid to reclaim the White House.
Daughter of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt files court petition to remove father's last name
A daughter of actors Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt filed paperwork to legally remove "Pitt" from her name on the day she turned 18.
Ex-husband charged with murder in death of Lumby, B.C., woman
The ex-husband of Tatjana Stefanski – the woman whose disappearance and death set the small town of Lumby, B.C., on edge last month – has been charged with her murder.
U.K. ambassador to Mexico out after video allegedly shows him pointing a rifle at a colleague
The U.K.’s ambassador to Mexico has left his post after a video was posted on social media that purportedly shows him pointing an assault rifle at an embassy employee.
U.S. defense secretary says war with China neither imminent nor unavoidable, stressing need for talks
United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin told a gathering of top security officials Saturday that war with China was neither imminent nor unavoidable, despite rapidly escalating tensions in the Asia-Pacific region, stressing the importance of renewed dialogue between him and his Chinese counterpart in avoiding "miscalculations and misunderstandings."
Oilers beat Stars, one win away from Stanley Cup berth
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored two power-play goals as Edmonton smothered the Dallas Stars 3-1 to take a 3-2 lead in the NHL's Western Conference final on Friday.
'We will go with the majority': Liberals slammed by opposition over proposal to delay next election
The federal Liberal government learned Friday it might have to retreat on a proposal within its electoral reform legislation to delay the next vote by one week, after all opposition parties came out to say they can't support it.
Is carbon pricing a politically feasible climate policy? Research says maybe not
Research suggests the Liberals may be fighting a losing battle, and some experts are urging policymakers to look for alternative policies to lower emissions, warning the threat of climate change is too dire to delay action.