Mother frustrated over daughter’s death in ministry care, lack of transparency
Angela Severight stood in the rotunda at the Legislature on Thursday surrounded by family and friends, all holding pictures of a teenage girl wearing a red hoodie and posing for the camera.
“This is Stellayna,” Severight said. “She was 14. She was an old soul in a young person’s body.”
Stellayna was Severight’s daughter. At 13 years old, Stellayna had got into drugs and gangs and Severight didn’t know what to do with her daughter anymore.
She went to the Ministry of Social Services for help multiple times, but said she’d hear they were busy or to call back later. Then she was told to give the girl up into ministry custody.