Mother loses custody of 10th child
SYDNEY — A Cape Breton mother has now lost custody of her 10th child.
The child was immediately taken into care at birth by the Department of Community Services in 2018 and in a written decision released this week, Supreme Court Justice Ken Haley ruled the child should be placed in the permanent care of the department.
“The pattern remains the same; the mother remains resistant and non-compliant,” said Haley, of the court’s family division.
“To demand or insist upon services being done on her own terms is not acceptable in the court’s view. Unfortunately, she does so at her peril and demonstrated to the court that she continues to lack meaningful insight into the protection concerns.”
In 2019, Haley ruled that four other children were in need of protection and ordered they be placed in the permanent care of the department. Five other children were removed from her care in 2014.
A publication ban prohibits releasing the mother’s name in a bid to protect the identity of the children.
The father of the first nine children and the mother have a long history with child welfare officials. Both have serious criminal records and there have been reports of domestic violence in the home. Child welfare officials have cautioned the mother against continuing a relationship with the father.
The mother has declined to name the father of her 10th child or consent to a DNA test.
In presenting its case for a permanent placement, the department said the mother continues to struggle being open and honest with caseworkers and continues to hide information regarding her relationships.
“The mother has repeatedly shown a propensity in withholding critical information from all supports and services connected to her file,” argued the department.
The department previously reported there have been ongoing issues in the home dealing with the children having head lice and dental problems along with missed immunizations and the general cleanliness of the home.
Also a concern was a threeweek visit the mother made, with her children, to visit her ailing father who is a convicted sex offender having sexually assaulted the mother when she was a child along with impregnating her sister.
The mother acknowledged she made a mistake in taking the children for the visit.
The court was also told the mother failed to participate fully in programming and counselling arranged for her explaining she felt it was not necessary.