Raditas guilty of 1st-degree murder of teen son who weighed 37 lb. at death

A Calgary judge says there was planning and forcible confinement by a couple found guilty of the first-degree murder of their teen son, who was starved and neglected and weighed just 37 pounds when he died.

Emil andRodicaRadita, who have been in custody since they were arrested, were each given life sentences on Friday, and will have to spend 25 years in prison before being eligible for parole.

Their son Alex, 15, whose Type 1 diabetes went untreated, died on May 7, 2013.

Alberta Court of Queen's Bench Justice KarenHorner said the boy was kept in "purposeful isolation" by his parents, and therefore did not have contact with anyone who might have intervened, like a doctor or teacher.

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Throughout the parents' trial, which began lastMay, Hornerheard evidence that theRaditashad a history of refusing to properly treat their son's condition, beginningwhen he was diagnosed at age two.

Hornersaid the Raditas were well aware of their son'sdiabetes and how it should be treated.

"Your actions ... are beyond comprehension. You persisted in arrogant confidence ... until he was dead," the judge said.

Before they were sentenced, the parents were given a chance to address the court, but declined.

Boy suffered, prosecutor says

Crown prosecutor Susan Pepper said the ruling and the sentences reflect the "magnitude of Alex's suffering."

She said the trial showed some of the tears in our social safety net that led to Alex's death, including a lack of communicationbetween provinces and the fact the boy was able to disappear off the education system's radar without anyone noticing.

"I think it really highlights the degree of isolation that Alex lived in," said Pepper, who prosecuted the case alongsideMarta Juzwiak.

"He had no friends or teachers or support people or doctors, or really anyone."

When Alex was diagnosed with diabetes, theRaditafamily lived in Surrey, B.C. Over the next several years, the child's untreated or mistreated diabetes caused him to behospitalizednumerous times.

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His parents repeatedlytold medical officials they did not believe their son had diabetes, according to evidence presented at trial.

In 2003, five-year-old Alex was taken to hospital so ill that he was just hours from dying of untreated diabetes.

He was taken from his family for about a year, but returned after a judge ruledhe believed Alex would be under the watch of school and health officials, who would keep tabs on the boy and would notice if he began to deteriorate again.

Social safety net failure

But the family moved to Alberta in2009, and Alex was never enrolled in school and never taken to seea doctor,accordingto evidence atthe trial.

"I think that there are probably, unfortunately, children in the same situation as AlexRadita. It would benaiveto think there are not other children who are being isolated by their parents so those parents can abuse and/or neglect them," said Pepper.

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"Asgood as our system is, it should be better. That should not happen."

Pepper said she hopes something good comes from Alex's death.

"If this case could lead to anything, it would be a meaningful discussion about how to fix things and how to make change for other children who are living in conditions that may not lead to homicide, but who are suffering," she said.

Working to create an 'Alex alert'

Social worker PatriciaMacDonaldworked with the familywhile they werein B.C. and tried to prevent Alex frombeing returned to his parents.

Listen to Patricia MacDonald, family social worker for Alex Radita, react to the judge's ruling

8 years ago

Duration 0:58

MacDonald is working to create an "Alex alert" that would somehow notify authorities when a family that needs monitoring for abuse and/or neglect leaves one province for another.

She was at the courthouse on Friday and said she'spleased with the ruling.

"He went through a horrible ending to his life and I'm glad to see his parents being held accountable," she said, describing the Raditas as devoid of any feelings or emotion.

She said Alex was "a very brave and very smart little man" who would havewanted his death to have some meaning for others.

To that end,MacDonaldis working to create an "Alex Alert" that would somehow notify authorities when a family that needs monitoring for abuse and/or neglect leaves one province for another.

Boy's body covered in 44 ulcers

When paramedics were called to the Radita home in May 2013, they found Alex's skeletal body on his bed. He was so badly emaciated, the medical examiner testified the boy was in the 0.1percentile for15-year-olds based on his weight and height.

The teen had a neck wound so deep his jaw bone was visible and his neck muscles were "near total liquefaction," said forensic pathologist,Dr. Jeffery Gofton.

Forty-fourulcers and wounds covered the boy's body and his teeth were "rotted to stumps," Gofton said.

Alex has seven surviving siblings.

Defence lawyers Jim Lutz and Andrea Serink did not call the Radita parents to testify at the trial.

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