Mother of teen who died in Sask. ministry care still begging for accountability, action a year later

Almost one year ago, 14-year-old Stellayna Severight was found dead of a drug overdosein what the coroner's report describes as an "unkempt" apartment building "with drug paraphernalia found scattered in the living room area."

The teenager, who was in the care of the Ministry of Social Services at the time, was pronounced dead on May 30, 2022. She had methamphetamine, fentanyl and other drugs in her system, according to the coroner's report provided to the family. Stellayna was also suffering from pneumonia, which the coroner said likely contributed to her death.

On Thursday, Stellayna's mother Angela went to the Saskatchewan Legislature to beg Social Services Minister Gene Makowsky for transparency about why her daughter died while his ministry was acting as her legal parent. She also wanted to know what the government will do to make sure it never happens again.

"I don't want her to die in vain," she told the media after question period. "I'm not going to let this go until there's some kind of accountability, some change."

Last year, CBC reported that on April 28, one month before Stellayna died, the ministry was warned that she was living in a dangerous, drug-infested apartment in the inner city.

• Mother demands answers: teen dies in care 1 month after Sask. social services was warned she was in danger

Bonnie Ford, who at the time worked for a street outreach program, said she contacted Stellayna's social worker and reported that the teenager was in severe danger, and should immediately be picked up and placed in a youth detox.

That didn't happen.

In an email to Angela last year, the ministry said that in the weeks following Ford's warning, the social worker sent a few texts inquiring aboutStellayna's whereabouts, but failed to locate her.

Then on May 27, almost one month after Ford's initial warning, the ministry reported Stellayna missing to police. Officers found her dead three days later.

Ford said she and Stellayna's family are baffled that it took the ministry so long to act.

"Why did they not listen to what I was saying?" Ford said to the CBC during its investigation. "I thought maybe they would have done their job maybe Stellayna might have had a chance."

'They hide behind privacy': Opposition

Angela's pleas for information were echoed by Opposition NDPsocial services critic Meara Conway in the legislature Thursday, in an emotional series of questions to Makowsky.

"What does the minister have to say to Angela about the ministry's failure to keep Stellayna safe?" asked Conway. "What will the minister do to fix this broken system?"

"Unfortunately, current legislation prohibits me from speaking to situations of this matter," Makowsky replied. "However, I know that there's a process that the ministry takes to ensure that there's a thorough investigation."

Conway pointed out thatthe government is investigating itself, and said it may be inclined to hide facts from the family and the public. She said Makowsky owes a public explanation for why his ministry waited so long before reporting Stellayna missing to police. Conwaysaid Stellayna's death points to systemic problems.

"There's many things about this case on the public record which he could now talk about," she said. "I'm very concerned at the lack of transparency. I think it's something this ministry hides behind. They hide behind privacy in order to avoid accountability."

Ministry operating under a 'veil of secrecy': privacy commissioner

Saskatchewan's information and privacy commissioner Ronald Kruzeniski has not offered any direct comments about Stellayna's case.

However, he levelledsharp criticisms at the Ministry of Social Services in a 2021 investigative report on acase where another woman was seeking information about her family. He concluded the ministry had an "arbitrary secretive approach to providing information."

In that case, the complainantwas looking for records about how social services treated her now deceased Mtis mother. She wanted to know why her mom was taken into the care of the ministry decades ago when she was a child. She also wanted details about sexual assaults she said her mom reported suffering while in care.

According to the commissioner's report, the ministry repeatedly denied her requests for any information without explanation, other than to say it lackedthe "legal authority to release the requested records."

In correspondence, the complainant reminded the ministry that its own legislation, the Child and Family Service Act, says that the minister has the discretion to provide any information held by the ministry.

That act says those records "may be disclosed if, in the opinion of the minister, the benefit of disclosure of information clearly outweighs any invasion of privacy that could result from the disclosure."

She arguedthat having access to this information would provide her and her family insight into the circumstances of their mother's childhood, which have deeply affected the entire family.

The woman asked whose privacy the ministry thought it was protecting by refusing disclosure, especially given that so many of the people involved in her mother's life and care are now dead.

"My question is benefits who? My deceased [mother]? My grandparents? The social worker my [mother] said made advances on [her]? Or does it benefit the ministry itself because of the manner [my mother] may have been placed?" she asked.

"I feel [the ministry holds] all the power and there is no checks and balances regarding this denial for access to information."

The commissioner said the ministry's handling of that case shows it has an "arbitrary secretive approach to providing information," adding that, "Social Services makes its decisions under a veil of secrecy with no ability for an individual to question its practices."

He said that needs to change and pointedout that some change was on the way. He said recent revisions to the Child and Family Services Act will provide more opportunity for the minister to share information more freely. Those changes are still awaiting proclamation.

But, he pointed out, the ministeralready has the discretion to share some information underthe current rules.

Minister meets with Angela

Makowsky said that while the information is generally kept confidential, the ministry does share the findings of its investigations with the province'sadvocate for children & youth andthechief coroner.

In his report about Stellayna's death, written after CBC's investigation highlighting the long delay in Stellayna being reported missing, the coroner concluded,"I am of the opinion that a public inquest is not necessary."

CBC asked the office of the children's advocate for its viewof Stellayna's death and the ministry's investigation.

The advocate said they are bound by confidentiality rules and can only release information in "rare circumstances and at the advocate's discretion."

No information was offered in this case.

WATCH|Sask. woman says province failed her daughter:

Sask. woman says province failed her daughter

1 year ago

Duration 2:24

Angela Severight was at the Legislature Building in Regina Thursday to call for the province to implement a Child Death Review Committee

Makowskyalso said that sometimes his ministry provides information to families.

On Thursday following question period, Makowskyand his officials met with Angela, Bonnie Ford and others to talk about Stellayna's case.

Ford said they made it clear that "there's a lot of questions that need to be answered still."

"This is not going to be swept under the rug. Absolutely not," she said.

She said no new information was provided in that meeting, but that the government has scheduled a follow-up for Tuesday.Ford said government officials indicatedthey will share some findings of their investigation at that meeting.

Angela said transparency is just the beginning of what she wants to see from the ministry.

"I'm looking for change and action. That's what I want," she said.

Ford is hopeful but not optimistic.

"How many more are going to die in their care before they realize there's something wrong here?" she said.