Preventing another Biddersingh tragedy
Experts offer suggestions to help protect newly settled children
Melonie Biddersingh’s abuse and death at the hands of her father and stepmother was preventable, said Det. Sgt. Steve Ryan.
She and her siblings were failed and failed again — their horrific treatment continuing unchecked in the Parkdale highrise for years, even after the sudden death of her little brother Dwayne, the concern of her family in Jamaica and police officers seeing her injuries.
After the children arrived in Canada in 1991, they were never sent to school. Instead they were mostly confined to the tiny apartment. Dwayne died in 1992 after falling off the balcony one day after he attempted to run away, his death ruled a suicide. Melonie died in 1994. Her grotesquely thin body with 21 healing fractures was found burning in a suitcase in a parking lot. Her older half-brother Cleon survived the abuse, eventually escaping and building a new life.
The father, Everton Biddersingh, was convicted of first-degree murder earlier this year, Stepmother Elaine Biddersingh was convicted Monday of seconddegree murder.
“When you think of how long it took for (Melonie) to die, it breaks my heart,” said Ryan, the veteran homicide detective who reopened the case in 2012.
And yet, two decades years later, immigrant children could still suffer the same fate, he said.
“Who knows how many other kids are in the same situation? We have to stop this from happening again. Shame on all of us if it does.”
Here are four suggestions to better protect immigrant children.
Registration at port of entry After the horrifying circumstances of Melonie Biddersingh’s death came to light, Councillor Michael Thompson proposed setting up a system for children immigrating to Canada to be documented upon arrival and for that information to be shared with local authorities, for instance the school board where the child would be expected to register.
That would allow the school board to follow up if the child doesn’t register after a certain length of time and to find out why. Under a system, Cleon, Melonie and Dwayne not attending school would have raised red flags.
“We need to make sure these children are getting to school. Those are the eyes and ears of the community,” Ryan said.
The idea is to “make sure the children are safe in their new homeland,” Thompson said. It could function as an early-warning system for abuse, but also as a way of providing the children with better services.
Agencies at the federal, provincial and local levels have been in talks, Thompson said, but they are still waiting for the federal and provincial governments to move forward.
Citizenship and Immigration Canada referred questions about a registry to the Canadian Border Services Agency which said it was unaware of a plan for such a registry. Connecting newcomer children with community groups Paulette Senior, CEO of YWCA Canada, suggests newcomer children and families be connected with appropriate community groups for periodic follow-ups, to make sure children are safe and to support them adjusting to life in Canada.
“It’s not a one-time connection. It can happen until whatever age is appropriate, until they are settled into their new life and new home,” said Senior.
It’s also a way to make sure parents know their duties of care, understand the laws and can get advice and support, as well as make sure children know how to get help.
Ryan said Cleon and Melonie once sat in the stairwell and discussed running away.
But they didn’t know where to go or who to call for help — and they were wary of the police.
It’s crucial for children to know the police can help, Ryan said. Training to recognize abuse and how to intervene for people who work with children The Peel Children’s Aid Society — which has Pearson Airport in its catchment area — has a specialized immigration team that works with community groups to help them provide support for newcomer families and children. The society also helps train people who work and interact with children, including immigration authorities, to recognize signs of abuse.
“We do a lot of outreach to the community in educating them. We have 48 community educators who speak around 16 different languages,” said Mary Beth Mollenkamp, senior service manager at Peel CAS. “The purpose of those sessions is to educate the community and family members about what Children’s Aid does, about the services we provide and how we can help because we rely on community members and professionals and family members to call us.” Community responsibility “When it comes to children, it’s everybody’s business to try to keep them safe,” said Pearl Rimer, director of operations at the Boost Child and Youth Advocacy Centre.
“How could those children be in that apartment, and no one hear screaming or crying? It’s just not possible.”
Public education on when and how to report child abuse needs to deal with why people are hesitant to report, he said. Part of that is changing negative perceptions of Children’s Aid Societies.
“One of the big fears is ‘what if I’m wrong?’ But you want to be wrong. You want there to be another explanation,” said Rimer.