Mother whose son committed suicide after he left MCFD care speaks out

Another B.C. parent is calling for change within the Ministry of Child and Family Development, following her son’s suicide not long after he aged out of care.

It has been more than three years since Michelle Thompson’s son took his own life. However, during that time, she believed their story was unique.

“You know, I really thought that my story and Desmond’s story was an isolated one. I thought that we were the only ones,” said Thompson.

Her son, Desmond Hicks, was placed in ministry care at the age of ten, while Thompson struggled with addiction.

But in his mid-teens, she says there were signs her son was struggling with his mental health. Although he wasn’t living with her, Thompson stayed in regular contact with her son in the years he was in care. At one point, she had a conversation with Hicks’ social worker about his mental health.

READ MORE: Mother of teenager who died in MCFD’s care in August speaks out

“A social worker had shared with me that he would undergo a psychiatric evaluation and they would take it from there,” said Thompson.

Thompson says she was never told the outcome of that assessment–even though she says she did ask. Years later when Hicks turned 19, aged out of care, and moved in with her, she got a hold of that report.

“It’s very descriptive of schizophrenia and a real serious, serious issue here that was never, ever shared with me one-on-one with the government,” said Thompson.

She’s still not sure what kind of help he received, if any. She does know that, as a teen, he made attempts to take his own life.

Hicks moved back in with his mom for two years after he aged out of care. However, he wasn’t on his own long before he committed suicide in October 2013 at the age of 22.

In recent weeks, the Ministry of Children and Families has been coming under fire, with both families and advocates saying too many young people are falling through the cracks.

Frontline child protection staff pushed to the limit: B.C.’s Representative for Children and Youth

The end results are often tragic. Thompson says the story of Carly Fraser, a young woman who committed suicide just hours after turning 19 and aging out of care, prompted her to share her son’s story.

WATCH: The NDP has called attention to Fraser’s case. Keith Baldrey reports.

While the minister wouldn’t comment on Hicks’ case, Minister of Child and Family Development Stephanie Cadieux says they are working to keep kids from aging out of care.

“We want to improve the outcomes for children and youth that have come in contact with the ministry in any fashion,” said Cadieux.

“The first thing that we’re focused on – and we’ve got a lot of emphasis on right now – is permanency. That means that from the moment a child comes in to our care, to be absolutely focused on finding a permanent loving home for those children so they don’t age out.”

Thompson says given her son’s story and that of too many others, changes to the system are desperately needed.

“I think the ministry and the government overall needs to do some re-evaluating when it comes to this system that they have set up and in place right now – because it’s not working.”