Inquest into Cree teenager's death in B.C. group home ends with 18 recommendations
Warning: This story contains a description of a teenager's suicide.
The coroner's inquest into the death of Cree teenager Traevon Desjarlais has ended with the jury delivering 18 recommendations, including several aimed at keeping Indigenous children in care more closely connected with their communities.
Authorities found Desjarlais's body hanging in the closet of a group home in B.C.'s Fraser Valley on Sept. 18, 2020, four days after he was reported missing. The inquest heard the 17-year-old had died of suicide by asphyxiation.
One recommendation from the inquest jury was to implement a policy ensuring group home staff are aware that missing children are to be reported to police immediately.
A number of other recommendations were focused on fostering cultural connections for Indigenous children in care, with jurors noting staff at the facility where Desjarlais was living had "little-to-no cultural awareness" and "no knowledge or understanding of colonization."
"The best outcome for Indigenous children in care is to have a sense of belonging to community and family," the jurors said in their unanimous verdict.
The recommendations called for expediting previously announced legislative changes from B.C.'s Ministry of Children and Family Development that would place greater emphasis on family-based care, and to divert resources away from contracted staff-led residential services.
The jurors also called for more Indigenous collaboration when assessing care placements, more qualified Indigenous staff providing direct services, and for Elders to be contracted into homes where Indigenous children are living.
In addition, the jury recommended alternative therapies be offered to children in care such as the use of therapy animals like horses and dogs.
After the recommendations were read, one of the jurors said to Traevon’s mom, “Our hearts are with you as you move forward.”
Sarah Rauch, a lawyer for Traevon’s mom, said it had been a difficult inquest.
“Overall, I’m pleased and we’re pleased with the jury’s careful thought and consideration to the systemic issues at play here and the factual day-to-day issues at play as well,” Rauch said.
But she said she didn’t know if the recommendations would be implemented and whether they could save another young person’s life.
“I wish I could say, 'yes' but I’m not sure,” she said.
“Who listens to these recommendations and then what do they do?
An aunt to Traevon’s told CTV News she doesn’t think anything will come of the recommendations.
During the inquest, jurors learned that 70 per cent of children in care in B.C. are indigenous.
Coroner's inquests are fact-finding exercises that hear evidence and witness accounts, but do not lay blame. Once concluded, jurors can make recommendations aimed at preventing future tragedies from occurring under similar circumstances.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Western University researchers unlock potential 'cure' for ALS
New research out of London, Ont.'s Western University is shedding light on a potential cure for ALS, in which the targeting of the interaction between two proteins can halt or fully reverse the disease's progression.
Police release 3D images of young child found in an Ontario river two years ago
Police have released a three-dimensional image of a young child whose remains were discovered in the Grand River in Dunnville, Ont. almost two years ago.
B.C. brings in law on name changes on day that child killer's new identity revealed
The BC NDP have tabled legislation aimed at stopping people who have committed certain heinous acts from changing their names.
Kamala Harris drops F-bomb during White House live-stream
U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris used a profanity on Monday while offering advice to young Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders about how to break through barriers.
B.C. man fighting for refund after finding someone living at Whistler vacation rental
Edwin Mostered spent thousands of dollars booking a vacation home in Whistler, B.C., for a group skiing trip earlier this year – or so he thought.
Avs forward Valeri Nichushkin suspended at least six months
Colorado Avalanche forward Valeri Nichushkin was suspended for at least six months without pay and placed in Stage 3 of the league's player assistance program.
Collapsed Baltimore bridge span comes down with a boom after crews set off chain of explosives
Crews conducted a controlled demolition Monday to break down the largest remaining span of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.
Security video caught admitted serial killer disposing of bodies in Winnipeg garbage bins
Security video caught admitted serial killer Jeremy Skibicki on multiple late-night outings, disposing of body parts in nearby garbage bins and dumpsters in the middle of the night.
Mortgage companies could intensify the next recession, U.S. officials warn
U.S. officials worry the next recession could be intensified by a cascading series of failures in the mortgage industry caused by crashing home prices, frozen financial markets and soaring delinquencies.