EDMONTON – A fourth child has died in less than three months while receiving services from the province.
The province says a six-week-old girl passed away on Jan. 12, but no further details have been released about the circumstances surrounding the death.
On Jan. 7, a 19-month-old girl also died while receiving service from the government of Alberta.
A 17-year-old boy and 14-year-old girl passed away while receiving services from the province in Nov. and Dec. respectively.
Last spring the Alberta government introduced a bill which allows the publication of names and photos of children who die in government care or while receiving services, as long as their parents consent.
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The bill came after a 2013 Post Media newspaper series that detailed gaps in child death investigations and frustration over parents not being allowed to talk publicly about the death of their children.
The series also detailed a patchwork system of investigations, with overlapping jurisdictions and no system to make sure that recommendations to prevent future child deaths were monitored or implemented.
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Children usually come into care or receive intervention services from the province when parents are unable or unwilling to ensure the well-being of their child.
The province says, before a death is made public, the family is notified and authorities are given time to investigate.