Judge considers expanding Radita inquiry to B.C.

An Alberta judge looking into the death of a Calgary teen who weighed 37 pounds when he died has suggested the inquiry might have to be expanded to include witnesses from B.C.

Alexandru Radita, 15, died in May 2013 of bacterial sepsis brought on by complications due to untreated diabetes and starvation. His parents, who had moved to Alberta from B.C., were found guilty in 2017 of first-degree murder.

Witnesses testified that Emil and Rodica Radita refused to accept their son had diabetes when he was diagnosed in B.C. in 2000 and refused to treat him. Alex was twice hospitalized while suffering from severe malnutrition.

He was placed in foster care before he was returned to his parents. Although B.C. child-welfare officials were watching the Raditas, they lost track when the family moved to Alberta in 2008.

Provincial court Judge Sharon Van de Veen is attempting to determine what could have been done to save the teen's life and prevent similar cases in the future.

But she expressed concern Thursday about the inquiry, which only involves witnesses from Alberta.

“I need you to consider the potential for us to call B.C. witnesses and what would the implications of that be?” Van de Veen asked the inquiry lawyer.

“I know we'd have to adjourn the inquiry to do it. But one of the things that's obvious to me is the connectedness between the two provinces could have made a difference,” she said.

Van de Veen said since government officials were involved throughout the teen's life, it's important to get all of the details.

“How do we do that? What has been accomplished is something I can hear from Alberta about right now, but I'm not sure they know everything B.C. has done,” she said.

An official with Alberta Children's Services said there is an interprovincial agreement in which officials would be alerted if a child in care relocates. But associate statutory director Belinda St. Amand told the court because the B.C. file on Alex was closed, Alberta was not notified.

“We were never informed or received a phone call from anyone regarding this child or family. No calls were made to Alberta,” said St. Amand.