How Could You? Hall of Shame- Canada-K.W.-Child Death

This will be an archive of heinous actions by those involved in child welfare, foster care and adoption. We forewarn you that these are deeply disturbing stories that may involve sex abuse, murder, kidnapping and other horrendous actions.

From Stony Plain, Canada, a 13-year-old foster son, known as K. W., “overdosed on methadone during a sleepover at a friend’s house in 2010.”

“Police conducted an extensive investigation but were unable to determine how the boy obtained the fatal dose of a drug meant for heroin addicts.

“There was nothing that could have been done by those responsible for (the boy’s) care that would have prevented him from wanting to acquire and consume the methadone,” Provincial Court Judge Ken Tjosvold wrote in a six-page report.

“It was also impossible, after a thorough police investigation, to determine how the methadone became available to him. The possibility that (the boy) would acquire this drug and consume a deadly quantity simply could not have been foreseen.”

The boy cannot be named under the terms of a publication ban; the report refers to him by his initials, K.W.

K.W. was subject to a permanent guardianship order and had long been in the care of the same foster family in Stony Plain.

In April 2010, K.W. went to a friend’s house for a sleepover. They rode bikes, played video games and had Chinese food for supper.

At some point, K.W. took “four little orange pills,” Tsosvold wrote. He told his friend they were methadone, and said they “would make him feel good.”

At 11 p.m., K.W. said he wasn’t feeling well and went to bed.

The following morning, the friend’s father went to wake the boys and discovered K.W. had vomited, was foaming at the mouth, and was having trouble breathing.

The father called 911 and K.W. was taken to hospital, where he was declared dead.

Alberta’s Chief Toxicologist, Dr. Graham Jones, said K.W.’s blood contained .38 milligrams of methadone per litre of blood, a dose that would be fatal to anyone not accustomed to such drugs.

He also had non-toxic levels of anti-depressant amitriptyline in his blood along with dextromethorphan, an over-the-counter cough suppressant that is sometimes abused.

Tjosvold made no recommendations.

“It is important to note what the (law) does not permit. … The (law) does not appear to require or authorize recommendations as to how the child welfare system or drug prevention programs could be improved, unless that improvement, on the evidence heard at the inquiry, might prevent similar deaths,” Tjosvold wrote.

Internal government records obtained by the Journal show an internal committee comprised of the statutory director, child advocate and legal director reviewed the case and made recommendations. However, the recommendations were blacked out by officials before the documents were released to the newspaper.

No special case review into K.W.’s death was completed.”

Stony Plain foster boy died from methadone overdose[Edmonton Journal 2/5/14 By Karen Kleiss]

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