Couple blames Social Services for son's death

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A Kehewin couple is blaming Alberta Social Services for the death of their youngest son.

"They took him from us when he was healthy and brought him back in a box," said his mother Lila McCarthy.

"They just ripped our hearts out," said the devastated mother at a press conference last week in west Edmonton.

Dallas Soloway of Ardmore was killed Aug. 5 after a car in which he was a passenger was hit from behind on the outskirts of Grand Centre.

A vehicle driven by his temporary foster parent, Samuel Spicer, was ploughed into a half-ton pulling a hay rack. Six other people were injured.

Charges have been laid against a 31 year old resident of the Cold Lake Reserve.

Const. Dan McNaughton of Grand Centre RCMP said charges of dangerous driving causing death, dangerous driving causing bodily harm, impaired driving causing death, impaired

driving causing bodily harm and driving while suspended have been laid against Louis Grandbois of Cold Lake Reserve in connection with the accident.

Dallas, his two sisters nine year old Brenda and six year old Alexis along with their eight year old brother Billy Joe were apprehended by Alberta Social Services on the Easter

weekend.

"We believe if they hadn't been taken away, Dallas would still be alive," said his godmother Virginia Soloway.

The children all went to non-Native foster homes: Brent and Alexis to Fort Kent, Billie Joe to Grand Centre and Dallas to Ardmore.

Lila McCarthy and her common-law husband Vernon Soloway, the father of Dallas, are being investigated for allegations of neglect and sexual abuse by Alberta Social Services.

"It's bad enough having them apprehended, but bringing my baby home like this I can't accept it," said Vernon. "They would not release my baby's body to me without the OK of

social services."

"Every night I go to bed crying wanting to know what happened. Where did I go wrong?" He asked.

"There was no abuse or neglect on my baby (Dallas)," insisted Soloway.

"We cared for each and every one of them," added McCarthy.

Whether an inquiry is held into the death of Dallas is up to the coroner or the police, said John Paterson, manager of child welfare services with the Lac La Biche office last week.

"It's certainly tragic when any three year old dies," he said. "Unfortunately accidents do happen."

The couple revealed the allegations against them and showed reporters some documents prepared during the investigation.

"If it did happen, we were not aware of it," said Soloway.

"The main concern of the parents is the allegation by Social Services. What is their proof?" Demanded Virginia, Soloway's sister-in-law.

In a temporary guardianship order dated April 10 at Bonnyville provincial court, which dealt with Brenda, it was asserted "the children have been left unattended and have been

physically abused by their parents. Their parents have failed to protect them from sexual abuse."

Alexis has been assessed by a doctor as having suffered "severe psychological scarring" stated the document.

The doctor said she should remain in a foster home to allow for further assessment.

"She is a very fearful, withdrawn child. I fear if she would return to her environment she might become suicidal," according to the doctor's assessment.

Physical findings are "consistent with sexual abuse," said the doctor.

Asked about the allegations, Soloway said "it's all untrue."

"They have run us through the wringer. Our reputation is just ruined," he said.

"We don't know where it (the allegations) came from," said McCarthy.

Social services "snatched" the children away, she said.

"It's like they kidnapped them. That's what they did, they kidnapped them," she said angrily.

Paterson said Soloway and McCarthy "had their day in court" before the children were taken.

"The kids were apprehended legally. If they say it's kidnapping, the court didn't see it that way," he said.

The parents were represented by a lawyer at a hearing lasting almost a day, he said. The judgeordered the children be made temporary guardians for six months and that they be

placed in therapy, he said.

The matter is under investigation, confirmed Corporal Rick Samotej of Bonnyville RCMP. It should be completed in a couple of weeks.

Billie Joe, Brenda and Alexis have been placed with a Native foster parent on Kehewin Reserve, located 60 km west of the town of Bonnyville.

Social Services had earlier been unable to find Native foster parents for the children, said Mel Kuprowsky, regional communications' manager with the Lac La Biche department.