WINNIPEG – The inquiry into the death of a young Manitoba girl has been told a key document prepared by a social worker in the case has been altered.
Debbie De Gale prepared a report on Phoenix Sinclair in May 2004 that said the girl was at – quote – “severe risk” of neglect, due to her parents’ substance abuse, and should be seen within 24 hours.
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But De Gale says her supervisor, Diana Verrier, changed her report to play down the risk and loosen the time frame to 48 hours.
Phoenix Sinclair spent her life bouncing between foster care, her parents, and family friends.
She was given back to her mother, Samantha Kematch, in 2004 and was beaten to death by Kematch and her boyfriend, Karl McKay, the following year.
The inquiry has already been told that social workers were frequently unable to monitor the child, and were often unaware of who had care of the child.
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