Two investigations open into children who died under English-language youth protection in Montreal

Santé Québec's national inspector's office is investigating at least two child deaths last winter, and staff at the Batshaw Youth and Family Centres are being summoned this week. Batshaw looks after English-speaking youth in west Montreal placed by Quebec's youth protection directorate (DPJ).

Quebec's human rights and youth rights commission is also investigating in parallel, according to sources. The commission neither confirmed nor denied it, saying its mandate is to assess whether children's rights were violated.

Deaths in English-language DPJ care since 2019

18 children

Access-to-information documents show 18 children have died while under English-language youth protection since 2019, and Santé Québec declined to give the reasons.

Background

One of the two deaths under investigation is a four-year-old Inuk girl who died on Mar 31, and the coroner is investigating. Batshaw also serves young Inuit, and a 2021 human rights commission report found discrimination against them.