The mother of the slain young Granby girl who died after allegedly being beaten is suing multiple organizations including youth protection.
"The civil suit that the mother is bringing forward is not just to get compensation, but rather so we can shine a light on those whose responsibility it was to protect that child," said the mother's lawyer Valerie Assouline.
The 7-year-old girl's stepmother was charged with second-degree murder, forcible confinement and aggravated assault, and the father with criminal negligence and kidnapping in the girl's death. Both remain in prison.
The little girl died in hospital the day after she was found in the Granby family home April 30. Her death caused a shockwave across Quebec, resulting in the creation of a special commission to look at the entire system of youth protection in Quebec.
The parents and stepmother cannot be named to protect the identity of the young girl.
Assouline said the system needs to be held accountable, as there were layers of people from Quebec youth protection directors to teachers to educators, who were in contact with the child and did not act.
"They all saw, they all heard red flags and nothing was done," she said. "No one did anything to protect that child."
Assouline would not give an exact figure of what her plaintiff is seeking, but said it would be several million dollars.
She insists, however, that it's not about the money.
"Of course, they need to have compensation for the actions and the inaction of everyone involved, but it's more about to take responsibility for what happened," said Assouline.
She said Granby youth protection sent her a report that refers to tweaks needed in protocols, but that there remains an absence of anyone claiming responsibility.
"You go into a waterpark with your child and something happens, the waterpark is responsible. There's a doctor malpractice in a hospital and the doctor is responsible. How come when it comes to youth protection, there's no responsibility? It's the system. It's not normal," she said.
The lawyer said it was apparent that the young girl was being mistreated, and that the mother and grandmother sent numerous letters, which were ignored.
"It's not an accident that happened to this child, it was not sudden," said Assouline. "How come this mother was ignored completely? For years she sent letters. For years she complained. There were red flags."
CTV News reached out to the regional health authority, but did not receive a response.