RCMP drop investigation of Kehewin couple

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Charges will not be laid by RCMP against Kehewin parents Vernon Soloway and Lila McCarthy following an investigation into allegations of physical and sexual abuse of their children.

"They're denying all allegations and we certainly don't have the evidence to go on with any charges in court," Const. Rich Carter of Bonnyville RCMP told Windspeaker Wednesday.

The investigation was completed this week after RCMP arrested Soloway on unrelated charges and interviewed him and McCarthy, said Carter.

Soloway, wanted on charges of driving while suspended, was apprehended by RCMP at Grand Center Sunday, Oct. 8 on the Thanksgiving Day weekend.

The police investigation into the abuse charges is now considered finished unless new evidence comes to light, which Carter termed "rather doubtful."

The couple had their four children taken away by Alberta Social Services on the Easter weekend after a provincial court judge in Bonnyville gave Alberta Social Services a temporary custody order after hearing allegations of sexual abuse and

neglect.

At the hearing it was alleged "the children have been left unattended and have been physically abused by their parents, who have failed to protect them from sexual abuse."

One child, Alexsis, had been assessed as having suffered "severe psychological scarring." Physical findings were consistent with sexual abuse, stated an investigating doctor.

From the beginning, the couple denied the allegations and they've fought since then to regain custody of the children.

Their youngest child, three-year-old Dallas, was killed in a traffic accident Aug. 5 while in the custody of his foster parents. After the accident the other three children, Brenda, Billy Joe and Alexsis, were placed in a foster home on Kehewin

Reserve but were removed when Kehewin chief Gordon Gadwa was ousted on Aug. 17.

The children are now in a foster home in the Glendon area, said terry Aman, manager of social services for the Bonnyville and Grand Center regions.

Kehewin Band has submitted the names if some potential foster care families on the reserve, who are being checked out, he said.

Whether the children are returned to Soloway and McCarthy is up to the court to decide, he said.

A hearing is scheduled at family court in early December at Bonnyville, he said.

"The department will present what it believes and the family will present its case and the court will make its decision," he said.

"Until then they're staying in our custody," he said.

Aman said "there was evidence of sexual abuse of the children" before they were apprehended. The children are presently involved in therapy."

Meanwhile, Soloway said he'll plead guilty to the charge of driving while under suspension at a court hearing Oct. 20 in Edmonton.

"Once this is over, I will fight twice as hard (for the children)," he said.

"The fight has just begun for me," declared Soloway.

"Once this is done I'm going to be able to face the public without having to hide from the RCMP or anyone else."

McCarthy couldn't be reached for comment.

In an interview before police concluded their investigation into the abuse charges, Soloway said he was surprised to learn he's also facing a charge of theft of a Lincoln Continental at Vegreville and will apparently have to appear in court there

Oct. 17. He intends to plead not guilty.