Under section 13.5 of the Fatalities Investigations Act, the Minister of Justice and Public Safety is required, within 60 days after receiving a report from the Child Death Review Committee (CDRC), to make public those recommendations relating to:

• Relevant protocols, policies and procedures;
• Standards and legislation;
• Linkages and coordination of services; and
• Improvements to services affecting children and pregnant women.

The CDRC forwarded three reports to the Minister of Justice and Public Safety on December 10, 2019, that included recommendations. The reports examine the facts and circumstances surrounding deaths of children and youth in Newfoundland and Labrador that occurred in 2017 and 2018.

Case 1:
A youth died by suicide.

Recommendations:

1. The Department of Children, Seniors and Social Development review their file on this family to determine whether other action should have been taken to address the protection needs of this child; and,
2. The file be referred to the Office of the Child and Youth Advocate for their review and consideration.

Case 2:
A youth died as a result of a pedestrian motor vehicle accident.

Recommendation:

1. The CDRC recommended that the matter be referred to the Child and Youth Advocate for review and consideration.

Case 3:
A youth died as a result of an all-terrain vehicle accident.

Recommendations:

1. That a review of the current MSV-ATV Act and Regulations is completed and serious consideration is given to increased fines for a first offence as well as significant increase to secondary and subsequent breaches;
2. That the Act and Regulations clearly articulate the onus of the owner to abide by the stipulated age of operation and accompaniment rules as outlined in the Act and Regulations and their liability; and,
3. That the Act and Regulations be reviewed to include the operation of side by side all terrain vehicles.

This report has been forwarded to the Office of the Child and Youth Advocate.

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Media contact
Lesley Clarke
Justice and Public Safety
709-729-6985, 699-2910
LesleyClarke@gov.nl.ca