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.