New evidence in sex abuse case

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Bonnyville RCMP say they'll be looking into new evidence that the children of a Kehewin family were physically and sexually abused.

The case, which involves children belonging to Vernon Soloway and Lila McCarthy, had been closed by the RCMP earlier this month after a lengthy investigation.

The couple denied all allegations and police said they had inadequate evidence to lay charges against anyone.

But Soloway told Windspeaker on Monday he's had time to think things over since being arrested by police Oct. 8 on unrelated charges and spending time in Edmonton's Remand Centre.

After having consistently denied any knowledge of who may have abused the children, he said he is now convinced he knows who abused his six year old daughter Alexsis.

"This time in jail woke me up," he said. "Now I', starting to see clearly what the hell has been going on.

"God placed her on this earth for me to look after and to care for," said Soloway. "I let her down."

He's contacted Alberta Social Services and the police to discuss his suspicions.

Sgt. Roger L'Heureux of Bonnyville RCMP said police have had little cooperation to date from Soloway.

"Now the door is open and we're back on track again hopefully," he said.

He said a police officer will be dispatched to Fort Saskatchewan Correctional Centre to interview Soloway who is serving a jail sentence on charges of driving while suspended.

Alexsis, Billy Joe and Brenda McCarthy and three year old Dallas Soloway were taken from the parents by social services workers earlier this year after the department was granted temporary custody by a court order following allegations of sexual

abuse and neglect.

Dallas was killed in a car crash in August.

Terry Aman, manager of Alberta Social Services for the Grand Centre and Bonnyville regions, said Soloway's allegations "might shed some light on the case for us."

Mother Lila McCarthy said she's not convinced the children were abused.

"The doctor in Bonnyville says she (Alexsis) was sexually molested. But the one at Elk Point says she wasn't," she said.

A brokenhearted McCarthy said she's going to "fight for my children. I'm going to do what I have to to get my kids back."