Parents irate after visit from RCMP
The RCMP has warned a Squamish, B.C., couple not to allow their fouryear-old to play outside their house, angering his parents and mystifying social workers.
Ian McIlwaine said his eldest son now fears being taken away by authorities. McIlwaine said he was on a business trip when the RCMP visited last week, spending half an hour warning his wife, Margita McIlwaine.
It became apparent a neighbour had reported an incident a few days earlier, when Tyler, 4, ran around naked while playing with his six-year-old brother, Connor, after his clothes got wet while washing the car.
The Mounties advised Margita to keep both boys in the backyard if they are nude, or they would have to ‘‘let the courts decide’’ what is best for the children.
After his distraught wife called him, Ian ended his trip early and went to the local RCMP detachment. He was told no law had been broken. He remains unsure which of his neighbours could have reported the incident.
“Everybody compliments me on how well-behaved and well-mannered they are, very polite and they are fun, you know. Everything I do is to try to give those kids a good start; they need the first six years to mean something.”
McIlwaine said his backyard has a creek, so it is not as safe for his children to play.
Carol Ross, chair of the child welfare committee of the B.C. Association of Social Workers, said she does not have full knowledge of the case, but there appears to be little legal precedent for the RCMP’s visit.
“It’s not an abusive or neglectful behaviour, kids are in yard supervised and safe, having fun. “It’s mystifying.” She said she hasn’t heard of cases like this before, and that there would have to be serious allegations to elevate it to something Child Protection Services would investigate. “There would have to be reports of harm, the parents were being neglectful or harmful, and these would have to be serious. It all sounds very unusual.”
Squamish RCMP Staff Sgt. Brian Cumming issued a statement to the Squamish Chief newspaper, which first reported the story.
“I have spoken to Mrs. and Mr. McIlwaine, explained that we responded to a complaint from another citizen about their son being out on the street with no clothes on a few days earlier.
“They did not feel this was handled well by the officers responding despite my explanations, and I offered an apology that they were not happy and felt their son was now afraid of the police,” said Cumming.
“Mr. McIlwaine suggested that his son would respond well if given the opportunity to visit the police station and meet the police in more favourable circumstances, and we have agreed to arrange for this to happen in the near future.”