The life and death of a 17-year-old First Nations girl is the subject of a new ‘disturbing’ report released by the Manitoba Advocate for Children and Youth.
The report titled documents the teen’s, who is only referred to by her first name, involvement with Child and Family Services beginning at the age of one and ending with her tragic death in 2015.
“From the time she was an infant Angel was exposed to persistent abuse, neglect and violence,” Daphne Penrose told reporters Thursday.
The report provides a harrowing timeline of Angel’s involvement with the child welfare system.
It paints a picture of a short and tragic life grounded trauma and the series of systems who failed her.
The first time Angel was sexually assaulted she was just 21 months old.
The assaults would continue until her death.
By the age of 12 she was apprehended 14 times, and she went through 46 different placements in her life.
The report documents she used drugs and alcohol to numb the pain.
She was 11 when she first attempted suicide.
In fall of 2015 Angel died from an accidental drug overdose.
She was in care at the time of her death.
“Her story as you read it is one that stands out as a shocking reminder that too many children and youth in our communities are subject to immense trauma and are taken too soon,” said Penrose.
Throughout her life Angel was allowed to return to live with her mother but Penrose’s investigation found the mother was not provided any supports to help care for Angel as she was suffering from her own traumas.
“There wasn’t enough assessment done to determine whether or not mom had the capacity to safely parent and then to find an alternative permanent family placement or alternative placement for her,” said Penrose.
Penrose makes six recommendations in the report including the need for specialized mental health and addiction supports for youth.
She said her office found 24 instances where outside agencies determined Angel required mental health support but found child welfare workers didn’t follow through.
She also expressed the need for more protection for youth at risk of being sexually exploited as it is a ‘right now’ problem.
Her investigation found Angel started seeking help when she was eight-years-old but everyone around her were unable to recognize the signs.
The report also featured the stories of seven exploited youth Penrose’s office is currently dealing with.
“It wasn’t a situation that happened just to Angel. This is happening to hundreds of young girls in our province right now,” said Penrose.
Penrose said she presented her report and recommendations to department officials a few weeks ago but the office of Manitoba’s Families Minister Heather Stefanson said they weren’t “privy to those discussions.”
In a statement Stefanson wrote, “MACY’s recommendations require a whole of government response and senior officials from multiple departments will develop responses and discuss options to collaborate on a sexual exploitation public awareness campaign.”
“They plan to meet with the advocate to discuss ways to collaborate.”
This is the second child death report publicly released after the province made changes to the child welfare legislation allowing the advocate to release her reports.
The advocate’s office is working on another eight cases.
Everyone is heated and attacking the workers who lets face it have their hands tied by unworkable boundaries and over whelming case loads. I haven’t seen a single person respond on the people who actually failed this girl from the start. Her parents, her relatives, her band. Where were they? This beautiful young soul is the tip of the iceberg. This is all to common in our community yet everyone else is blamed, social workers, teachers, public health. Time we start at the root of this. Start holding these parents accountable first and foremost. RIP little angel, may good change come from your awful walk through this world.
You point your finger at yourself….just reading the first line of your comment is negative
there needs to b more native ppl involved in cps…communities need to be aware of this tragic situation.all these young women …are being targeted to human trafficking …we all need to protect …our children they are our future…Indian country is aware they went to congress this can help…over in Canada so help love each other there’s always a child who needs our ❤ …
Hi Warrick. You said start AT the root of the problem but you don’t put a name to the problem.. I will tell you what the problem is. IT IS ThE INTERGENERATIONAL TRAUMA OR ABUSE (SEXUAL .PHYISCAL.EMOTIONAL) THAT THE INDIAN RESIDENTIAL STUDENTS EXPERIENCED FOR THE MANY YEARS THAT THERE WERE RESIDENTIAL SCHO. WhereL st udents. Suffered from the hands of priests. Nuns and teachers and this was s all students
. THESE STUDENTS GREW UP WITH NO PARENTS TO TEACH WRONG FROM RIGHT. THE NEGATIVE BEHAVIORS WERE PAST ONTO THEIR CHILDREN AND TI THEIR GRANDCHILDREN.. SO YOU SEE NOT UNTIL EVERYONE IS
( INCLUDING YOU.WARRICK THAT ABUSE IS BAD AND AFFECTS EVERYONE. WE ARE ALL RESPONBLE TO MAKE PEOPLE AWARE THAT ABUSE ISN ‘T RIGHT.. SOCIETY AS A
WHOLE IS RESPINISIBLE OF WHAT GAD HAPPENED. US!!! NY MORAL PERSoN NEEDS TO REoRT ANY ABUSE THEY. WITNESS. WE NEED TO LISTEN TO OUR CHILDREN THEY WHEN SPEAK TO US. THE ABORGINAL PEOplE HAD THEIR OWN TRADITIONAL PARENTING WHERE PARENTS .GRANDPARENTS HELPED RAISE THE CHILDREN EARN RIGHT OR WRONG. . PARENTING SKILLS. LANGUAGE . THE PAST 200 HUNDREDS of COLONIZATION. HAS DESTROYED THIS TRADITIONAL PARENTING OF ABORIGINAL. PEOPLES. SO WARRICK WHO IS RESPONIBLE?the abirugunwl cimmunutues need ti healvfrim theur abuses they suffered befire thet can helo ithers. Or theur iwn childre.
Everyone is heated and attacking the workers who lets face it have their hands tied by unworkable boundaries and over whelming case loads. I haven’t seen a single person respond on the people who actually failed this girl from the start. Her parents, her relatives, her band. Where were they? This beautiful young soul is the tip of the iceberg. This is all to common in our community yet everyone else is blamed, social workers, teachers, public health. Time we start at the root of this. Start holding these parents accountable first and foremost. RIP little angel, may good change come from your awful walk through this world.
You point your finger at yourself….just reading the first line of your comment is negative
there needs to b more native ppl involved in cps…communities need to be aware of this tragic situation.all these young women …are being targeted to human trafficking …we all need to protect …our children they are our future…Indian country is aware they went to congress this can help…over in Canada so help love each other there’s always a child who needs our ❤ …
Hi Warrick. You said start AT the root of the problem but you don’t put a name to the problem.. I will tell you what the problem is. IT IS ThE INTERGENERATIONAL TRAUMA OR ABUSE (SEXUAL .PHYISCAL.EMOTIONAL) THAT THE INDIAN RESIDENTIAL STUDENTS EXPERIENCED FOR THE MANY YEARS THAT THERE WERE RESIDENTIAL SCHO. WhereL st udents. Suffered from the hands of priests. Nuns and teachers and this was s all students
. THESE STUDENTS GREW UP WITH NO PARENTS TO TEACH WRONG FROM RIGHT. THE NEGATIVE BEHAVIORS WERE PAST ONTO THEIR CHILDREN AND TI THEIR GRANDCHILDREN.. SO YOU SEE NOT UNTIL EVERYONE IS
( INCLUDING YOU.WARRICK THAT ABUSE IS BAD AND AFFECTS EVERYONE. WE ARE ALL RESPONBLE TO MAKE PEOPLE AWARE THAT ABUSE ISN ‘T RIGHT.. SOCIETY AS A
WHOLE IS RESPINISIBLE OF WHAT GAD HAPPENED. US!!! NY MORAL PERSoN NEEDS TO REoRT ANY ABUSE THEY. WITNESS. WE NEED TO LISTEN TO OUR CHILDREN THEY WHEN SPEAK TO US. THE ABORGINAL PEOplE HAD THEIR OWN TRADITIONAL PARENTING WHERE PARENTS .GRANDPARENTS HELPED RAISE THE CHILDREN EARN RIGHT OR WRONG. . PARENTING SKILLS. LANGUAGE . THE PAST 200 HUNDREDS of COLONIZATION. HAS DESTROYED THIS TRADITIONAL PARENTING OF ABORIGINAL. PEOPLES. SO WARRICK WHO IS RESPONIBLE?the abirugunwl cimmunutues need ti healvfrim theur abuses they suffered befire thet can helo ithers. Or theur iwn childre.
Social workers are only good as their supervisors.Sadly the needs of the children are not met due to budgets. The needs of the children aren’t met because of inexperienced social workers( no relevant experience to indigenous experiences). The needs of the children are not met because of the high turn over rate of social workers. The needs of the children are not met because of inexperienced caregivers. The needs of the children aren’t met because biological family are over taxed with taking care of other family members and children. The needs of the children aren’t met because lack of housing and the list goes on. Removing Children and having them in the care does not work. We as Indigenous people need to take our children back, we need to support our families,our communities our nations to take care of our most vulnerable our CHILDREN OUR FUTURE LEADERS.
Tapwe. We need ti take care of
Our own children . I am aborginall and have helped raise my grandchildren. They are orecioys and sacred
Social workers are only good as their supervisors.Sadly the needs of the children are not met due to budgets. The needs of the children aren’t met because of inexperienced social workers( no relevant experience to indigenous experiences). The needs of the children are not met because of the high turn over rate of social workers. The needs of the children are not met because of inexperienced caregivers. The needs of the children aren’t met because biological family are over taxed with taking care of other family members and children. The needs of the children aren’t met because lack of housing and the list goes on. Removing Children and having them in the care does not work. We as Indigenous people need to take our children back, we need to support our families,our communities our nations to take care of our most vulnerable our CHILDREN OUR FUTURE LEADERS.
Tapwe. We need ti take care of
Our own children . I am aborginall and have helped raise my grandchildren. They are orecioys and sacred
Were there any criminal charges taken? If not why not? If the child assault involved a relative it should be no more tolerated if the rape was done by a stranger or that victim lived. Living as the victim makes it no less a crime.
Were there any criminal charges taken? If not why not? If the child assault involved a relative it should be no more tolerated if the rape was done by a stranger or that victim lived. Living as the victim makes it no less a crime.
This is an issue in Ontario as well. My ex husband’s son was placed on care and had expressed suicidal as well as homicidal ideations. We took him to the hospital and a preliminary assessment recommended that he be given round the clock care for the purposes of a proper assessment for a period of 2 months. Children’s services had other plans. The hospital told us he was in no way safe to come home or to be around other children, Children’s aid placed him with his mother’s ex husband instead of us. Police picked him up shortly after his 18th birthday and he was admitted for a psych assessment at which point he was finally diagnosed (multiple diagnosis including psychosis and attachment disorder) for the same symptoms we had TRIED to get him help for but were blocked by Children’s aid.
This is an issue in Ontario as well. My ex husband’s son was placed on care and had expressed suicidal as well as homicidal ideations. We took him to the hospital and a preliminary assessment recommended that he be given round the clock care for the purposes of a proper assessment for a period of 2 months. Children’s services had other plans. The hospital told us he was in no way safe to come home or to be around other children, Children’s aid placed him with his mother’s ex husband instead of us. Police picked him up shortly after his 18th birthday and he was admitted for a psych assessment at which point he was finally diagnosed (multiple diagnosis including psychosis and attachment disorder) for the same symptoms we had TRIED to get him help for but were blocked by Children’s aid.
This sickens me to the core! I agree with putting Everyone involved in her case on Leave until a Thorough Investigation is conducted. The Powers that Be in that Child Welfare System is collaborating with the entire outcome! Why?! Are they involved in Human Trafficking! Because that’s exactly what this sounds like! There has got to be Someone who has the conscience and power to nip this right now! It takes guts of steel and I pray whoever is investigating this has that!
If anyone knows, suspects a child is being molested/raped and they turn the other way,, I would have No Problem with charging them the same as the Predator. Sick fucks!
Why does the article not mention that from the age of 3 onward she was under the services of an Indigenous Child and Family Service Authority?
From page 18 of the report:
“CFS agency would be the one that would provide services to the family from this point in 2001, and on through the rest of Angel’s life. The agency (referred to in the remainder of this report as “the CFS agency”) receives its legal mandate through the First Nations of Northern Manitoba Child and Family Services Authority. The CFS agency first became involved with Angel and her family in May 2001, just prior to Angel’s third birthday.”
She was under the care of our Indigenous CFS for the last 14 of her short 17 year old life. Truth and Reconciliation also implies an obligation for us to be truthful with each other in the Indigenous Community and to reconcil with each other what has happened in order to truly achieve child safety and wellbeing for all of our children. By failing to identify the role which ICFS played in this story and providing a generic “CFS” we fail children like Angel and possibly thousands more. Sincerest condolences to Angel’s relations and praying that Angel’s finds peace at last.
So sad. In my situation, it is repressed memories!
Those can be so difficult too. I pray the Lord Jesus guides you through and gives you the healing you need. This is what happened with me. God bless you. ❤
I’m so sorry your pain. You didn’t deserve it either. Pls know someone cares. Even a stranger. PlS Live a goòd happy life..your life is worth it too ..to be happy and alive
This sickens me to the core! I agree with putting Everyone involved in her case on Leave until a Thorough Investigation is conducted. The Powers that Be in that Child Welfare System is collaborating with the entire outcome! Why?! Are they involved in Human Trafficking! Because that’s exactly what this sounds like! There has got to be Someone who has the conscience and power to nip this right now! It takes guts of steel and I pray whoever is investigating this has that!
If anyone knows, suspects a child is being molested/raped and they turn the other way,, I would have No Problem with charging them the same as the Predator. Sick fucks!
Why does the article not mention that from the age of 3 onward she was under the services of an Indigenous Child and Family Service Authority?
From page 18 of the report:
“CFS agency would be the one that would provide services to the family from this point in 2001, and on through the rest of Angel’s life. The agency (referred to in the remainder of this report as “the CFS agency”) receives its legal mandate through the First Nations of Northern Manitoba Child and Family Services Authority. The CFS agency first became involved with Angel and her family in May 2001, just prior to Angel’s third birthday.”
She was under the care of our Indigenous CFS for the last 14 of her short 17 year old life. Truth and Reconciliation also implies an obligation for us to be truthful with each other in the Indigenous Community and to reconcil with each other what has happened in order to truly achieve child safety and wellbeing for all of our children. By failing to identify the role which ICFS played in this story and providing a generic “CFS” we fail children like Angel and possibly thousands more. Sincerest condolences to Angel’s relations and praying that Angel’s finds peace at last.
I live in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and I have my beautiful 15-year-old daughter in care with Prince Albert. They have no decency and no respect.
RIP Angel u been thru alot, I hope u r in a better place
This should never happen how can men and women be so evil so heartless the mentality the evil that would allow them to commit such evil no god no conscience no remorse no shame should never happen women are just as responsible as men it is not only men and family that know and allow or commit such crimes is forbidden
That is catastrophic and criminal neglect. Every child care worker and his/her supervisor who was involved in her case should all be put on leave and removed from contact with children pending the results of an investigation. The investigation will identify where and how these horrors occurred, identify illegal behaviors and criminal wrong doing, remove the guilty from service, draw up and report recommendations to prevent this from happening again, and retrain everyone in the entire agency on proper oversight and reporting. If we can carry out investigations for plane crashes, we certainly can do the same on behalf of children. Also, a deeper question, what is the environment of the Child Welfare Agency that was so toxic that these horrors could bevconducted by so many for so long without any recognition? That abuse of power…over a helpless child….is beyond my comprehension. Having gone to Penn State and following the story of horrid collusion to “protect” the reputation of a football coach by covering up the obscene acts of the child rapist and assistant coach Sandusky, I can only think that someone somewhere high in Child Welfare was afraid of losing their income and status in the Provincial Government. The poor child being First Nation was also abandoned because she had no advocates on her and her troubled mother’s side.
This is an atrocity and needs to STOP!!!! These types of workers that are assigned to monitor and help children should be held accountable for just collecting a paycheck at the end of the week, they need to have the interest and heart and soul to put children first!!! That’s what they get paid to do!!!! Get out of the field if you cannot do your job!!!
Well said!
My prayers are with that Angel you are with God now baby girl you won’t be hurt anymore
She wasn’t 21months she was eight years old
Hi Barbara, thank you for writing to us. According to information on Page 15 of the report, Angel was first sexually assaulted when she was 21 months old.
What the hell does it matter . This poor girl lived a life of hell..hope everyone pays for it
wtf does it matter what age dam 8 yrs old still wrong wrong wrong some one needs to help native and all children no matter how they act its most likly the abuse caused it
So sad. In my situation, it is repressed memories!
Those can be so difficult too. I pray the Lord Jesus guides you through and gives you the healing you need. This is what happened with me. God bless you. ❤
I’m so sorry your pain. You didn’t deserve it either. Pls know someone cares. Even a stranger. PlS Live a goòd happy life..your life is worth it too ..to be happy and alive
I live in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and I have my beautiful 15-year-old daughter in care with Prince Albert. They have no decency and no respect.
RIP Angel u been thru alot, I hope u r in a better place
This should never happen how can men and women be so evil so heartless the mentality the evil that would allow them to commit such evil no god no conscience no remorse no shame should never happen women are just as responsible as men it is not only men and family that know and allow or commit such crimes is forbidden
That is catastrophic and criminal neglect. Every child care worker and his/her supervisor who was involved in her case should all be put on leave and removed from contact with children pending the results of an investigation. The investigation will identify where and how these horrors occurred, identify illegal behaviors and criminal wrong doing, remove the guilty from service, draw up and report recommendations to prevent this from happening again, and retrain everyone in the entire agency on proper oversight and reporting. If we can carry out investigations for plane crashes, we certainly can do the same on behalf of children. Also, a deeper question, what is the environment of the Child Welfare Agency that was so toxic that these horrors could bevconducted by so many for so long without any recognition? That abuse of power…over a helpless child….is beyond my comprehension. Having gone to Penn State and following the story of horrid collusion to “protect” the reputation of a football coach by covering up the obscene acts of the child rapist and assistant coach Sandusky, I can only think that someone somewhere high in Child Welfare was afraid of losing their income and status in the Provincial Government. The poor child being First Nation was also abandoned because she had no advocates on her and her troubled mother’s side.
This is an atrocity and needs to STOP!!!! These types of workers that are assigned to monitor and help children should be held accountable for just collecting a paycheck at the end of the week, they need to have the interest and heart and soul to put children first!!! That’s what they get paid to do!!!! Get out of the field if you cannot do your job!!!
Well said!
My prayers are with that Angel you are with God now baby girl you won’t be hurt anymore
She wasn’t 21months she was eight years old
Hi Barbara, thank you for writing to us. According to information on Page 15 of the report, Angel was first sexually assaulted when she was 21 months old.
What the hell does it matter . This poor girl lived a life of hell..hope everyone pays for it
wtf does it matter what age dam 8 yrs old still wrong wrong wrong some one needs to help native and all children no matter how they act its most likly the abuse caused it