Social services’ intervention explained at Day 2 of Lee Bonneau inquest

Shortly after Lee was born, Hickie-Schaeffer testified Merk was found to be short with the child.

“Stacey was yelling at the baby for not latching on,” she recalled.

She said social services had become aware of Merk’s learning disability and mental-health issues. Hickie-Schaeffer said Lee was ultimately removed from his mother’s custody when a worker from social services heard his mother threaten her own life, saying she would “become intoxicated and drive off a cliff.”

This was the start of Lee’s foster care experience.

There were additional concerns about him being exposed to domestic violence in the family home, as Hickie-Schaeffer revealed that Lee’s behaviour was indicative of having witnessed abuse.

She recounted an incident where a teacher at Lee’s school noticed a bruise on his back. The teacher then asked Lee what happened.

“Lee made a disclosure it was due to his dad,” said Hickie-Schaeffer.

She said the bruise could have come with an incident around the same time involving a vehicle Lee was riding in with his parents. Noticing the boy’s seat belt was off, she said David was said to have hit the brakes, causing Lee to hit himself in the vehicle.

Hickie-Schaeffer called Lee’s behaviour often sexual and aggressive, swearing at kids in school, using language she believed was above his age range. She claimed the boy would corner girls trying to kiss them and would pull down his pants. The case supervisor even recited a time it’s believed Lee was mimicking having sex with a stuffed animal.

Both Merk and Lee’s father David Bonneau denied any kind of physical abuse during testimony on Monday.

Hickie-Shaeffer admitted the ministry does not have the ability to ensure someone in Merk’s mental situation knows how to properly care for a child.

Earlier in the day Tuesday, David was on the stand at the inquest, being held at the Court of Queen’s Bench in Regina.

He was questioned by lawyers about his relationship with Merk, who for the second day was sniffling and teary-eyed in her seat. David also fielded questions regarding his interaction with social services through the entire process. He also posed questions himself wondering what kind of screening practices take place before somebody is qualified to be a foster parent.

The father took time to describe his son, saying Lee loved to play soccer, watch hockey at the rink and go to the park. The testimony was a continuation from Monday, when both David and Merk testified on the first day of the inquest.

Merk had trouble keeping herself together, shedding tears talking about her dead boy. She described him as beautiful and happy – somebody who liked to laugh and play, and someone who was lovable.

She said her son was taken from her when she told a visiting social worker she wanted to commit suicide. She had been overwhelmed about having to move from her home and was delayed in taking her medication for depression that day.

“Don’t know why I said what I said,” Merk told the courtroom on Monday.

A jury of six is hearing witnesses over the next two weeks. Jurors are tasked not to find fault, but to figure out how Lee died and to help educate the public. They’re tasked with seeking out facts which will be developed into a set of recommendations to avoid any future tragedies such as Bonneau’s.

The 10-year-old boy was is said to have killed Lee has not been mentioned so far at the inquest. However, more detail into how exactly Lee died is expected shortly.

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by Kevin Martel

Social services’ intervention explained at Day 2 of Lee Bonneau inquest

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