REGINA – A coronor’s inquest has learned much more about the young boy accused of the brutal beating that ultimately killed Lee Bonneau.
The boy can only be referred to as ‘LT’; his name is banned from publication because he was just 10 years old at the time. Witnesses told the courtroom that LT had a bad reputation in the community.
Thomas Alexson, the man who found Bonneau the night of August 21, 2013, said he was searching for the child when a group of children relayed a story of LT boasting that he had just “beat up a little boy and crushed his head.”
The death inquest also retraced the final steps of Bonneau’s life with testimony from his foster mother, Mary Ramstead, who had taken him with her when she went to play bingo at a recreation centre on the Kahkewistahaw First Nation.
“I couldn’t stand the pain he was in. It haunted me.”
Ramstead said she and others frantically searched the area nearby when she noticed Bonneau had gone missing.
The six-year-old was found lying on the ground suffering from a severe head injury – though he was still alive.
“I just cried … I couldn’t stand the pain he was in. It haunted me,” Ramstead said, recalling the ambulance ride with Bonneau.
“I shouldn’t have taken him out there. I didn’t think that would happen.”
Bonneau had only been in Ramstead’s care for a short time; social workers had asked her to look after the boy for “a couple weeks” until another home was found for him.
After hearing Ramstead’s testimony, Lee Bonneau’s aunt, Celia Bonneau, told reporters the family doesn’t lay any blame on the foster mother.
“I think it’s a good example of not making decisions based upon hearsay,” she said. “(Ramstead) seems like a beautiful little lady and seems like she was very caring and loving.”
READ MORE: Double child tragedy could have been avoided, says advocate
Lawyers also questioned the responding officers from the Broadview RCMP detachment. Const. Mark Dijkstra said he was dispatched to a call of a missing child, with reports of a badly beaten boy coming shortly after.
“I could see a stick at his feet. Lee was laying on the ground,” Dijkstra said, describing his first moments on scene.
Bonneau’s parents testified on the first two days of the inquest, with social services presenting a picture Tuesday of life at home for the child. The supervisor for Bonneau’s case file said there were signs of domestic violence.
The goal of the court proceedings is to determine how Bonneau’s death happened and what could be changed in the future to help prevent it.
On Thursday, the coroner’s counsel will call on a forensic pathologist, who is expected to shed further light on Bonneau’s cause of death.
Comments