The family of Serenity, the four-year-old Indigenous girl who died in kinship care, is demanding Premier Rachel Notley call a public inquiry into the child’s death.
“It’s bureaucratic stupidity at its best,” said the man, who can only be identified under Alberta child intervention legislation as Serenity’s great-uncle.
“[Notley] should be ashamed of herself for her inaction in this matter.”
The man and several family members attended question period on Wednesday. They watched as PC caucus leader Ric McIver and Calgary-West MLA Mike Ellis called on Notley to set up a public inquiry.
“Premier, will you look up into the gallery and tell Serenity’s family and her mother watching online here today why you will not respect their wishes and call a public inquiry?” Ellis asked.
Notley responded by saying the circumstances leading up to Serenity’s death were troubling to Albertans, but she did not commit to an inquiry.
‘It’s unacceptable’
“It is absolutely important that the police be allowed to proceed so that the matter can be addressed fully in the justice system,” she said. “It is frustrating for all of us, but we can’t compromise that because that would be yet another injustice.”
Serenity’s great-uncle was angry over that response.
“Honestly, I got what I expected out of Premier Notley today — which was nothing,” he said.
Serenity was four years old when she died of severe head trauma in an Edmonton hospital. (Supplied)
“The ball is in Notley’s court,” he added. “I think she needs to get up and do something positive rather than the rhetoric that I heard in there today. It’s unacceptable.
“And if she wants to stay premier, she better get off her rear-end and do something about it because she will be voted out.”
When Serenity died of a traumatic brain injury in September 2014 , she weighed only 18 pounds. Her skull was fractured and her body was covered in lacerations and purple contusions. Her body also showed signs of sexual assault.
No one has been charged in her death. An autopsy took more than two years to complete. The RCMP wasn’t given the child’s file by Alberta government officials until early December.
Last week, CBC revealed that children related to Serenity’s former kinship caregivers are still living in the home.
Ellis said in the legislature that a call was set up between former Human Services Minister Irfan Sabir and Serenity’s mother late last year. He said Sabir never called.
A government spokesperson said the woman was offered a call but declined the opportunity.
He said Children Services Minister Danielle Larivee is available to talk if she wants.
Serenity’s mother and siblings no longer live in Alberta.