Kehewin man in hiding from police

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Kehewin, AB

A grieving Kehewin man is hiding from police while he and his wife continue their fight to regain custody of three children apprehended by Alberta Social services.

"I don't want them in a foster home anymore," said Vernon Solowjay.

"I hope we can get a court injunction to bring my kids' home to the reserve."

He said the Metis Associaton of Alberta has offered legal assistance.

Soloway said warrants are out for his arrest, because he didn't appear in court some time ago on two charges of driving while suspended.

"The RCMP are constantly here badgering us," he said.

"They can look high and low and they'll never find me. We have a lot of ins and outs here on the reserve.

"I want this whole custody suit dealt with and then I'll be turning myself in," he said, noting he expects to be jailed on the driving charges.

Soloway, a Metis, and his common-law-wife Lila McCarthy, a Treaty Indian, had their four children apprehended by social services on the Easter weekend. The couple are

under investigation allegedly abusing their children physically and sexually.

The youngest child, Dallas Soloway, 3, was killed in a car crash Aug. 5 after a car in which he was a passenger was hit from behind on the outskirts of Grand Centre. Charges

have been laid against a 31 year old resident of Cold Lake reserve.

Following the accident the other three children, Alexis, 6, Billie Joe, 8, and Brenda, 9, were placed in a foster home on Kehewin reserve.

But social services officials removed the children after an attempt by some band council members to remove Gordon Gadwa as chief.

Gadwa had given a personal undertaking to see the children were "appropriately supervised," said John Peterson, manager of child welfare services with the Lac La Biche

office of Alberta Social Services.

The couple later lodged a complaint with Bonnyville RCMP, alleging social services abducted the children.

Corporal Rick Samotej of Bonnyville RCMP said police need to talk to Soloway before they can conclude their investigation into the abuse charges.

On Aug. 29, two officers from the detachment visited the Kehewin reserve home of an elderly couple looking for Solowjay. He accused them of coming to the house "pushing

their way in."

"I I think it's very ignorant. I don't think it's right they barge their way into old folks' homes. When they're told I'm not here, I'm not here," he said.

"They pushed her (Lila) out of the way to look for me," said Soloway.

He said he'll allow his pit-bull terrier to run loose 24 hours to protect the family. "They (the police) are lucky that dog wasn't unchained when they were there..

"I'm not letting them come into this house again to bother these people," he said.

Sgt. Roger L'Heureux of Bonnyville RCMP said police were tipped off that Soloway was at the home. Lila McCarthy was standing in the doorway when police arrived with

warrants.

She refused entry and after hearing some noise in the basement, one of the officers moved McCarthy from the doorway.

"He pushed her arms down and pushed her aside a little bit and held her arms there. That was the end of the confrontation. She wasn't forced or pushed or booted around,"

he said.

Meanwhile, according to Grand Centre RCMP, a preliminary hearing will be held towards the end of October to see if there's enough evidence to bring Louis Grandbois of Cold

Lake Reserve, who faces five charges in connection with the fatal accident involving the couple's son.