Editor’s Note: This story has been updated to reflect the government statement was sent by Ontario’s solicitor general’s office.
The provincial government is warning parents to avoid an Ontario centre offering services to children with autism after police said a man previously convicted of trafficking children is living at the centre.
In a statement from Ontario’s solicitor general’s office on Tuesday, a spokesperson said they encouraged “all parents to keep away” from the Beating the Odds centre in Essa Township, near Barrie, Ont.
The unusual intervention came after Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) warned a sex offender with prior convictions — that include human trafficking of children — “resides at, and has regular access to” the facility.
“This individual who was convicted of such reprehensible crimes should never be around vulnerable children again,” the statement sent to Global News by the solicitor general’s office said.
“Allowing him to roam freely around our communities and potentially put more children in danger is a failing of our justice system.”
The man was named by police as 42-year-old Lauriston Charles Maloney. Officials said he faced charges and convictions in Peel Region in both 2004 and 2013.
Get breaking National news
“It’s a total of 16 criminal charges related to human trafficking and trafficking of minor age children, which has put him on the sex offender registry,” an OPP sergeant told Global News.
The Beating the Odds centre is run from a residence, the sergeant explained.
Global News made attempts to contact the Beating the Odds centre both after the OPP released its initial warning and after the provincial government’s comments.
Attempts by phone, text and email on Tuesday evening were unsuccessful.
On Monday, during email discussions to set up an interview, Amber Maloney, who according to an archived version of the centre’s website owns the centre, said: “there is many things on this article that is untrue and false.”
Global News had not arranged an interview or received further comment by the time of publication.
The centre’s owner reportedly told CTV News Maloney had no access to children attending the camp.
The provincial government said it had worked with police to serve an order at the centre which forbade the man from being on-site when children were present.
OPP previously said he was not under any conditions relating to associating with young children. His prior convictions are not in relation to the Beating the Odds facility.
“Members of the public are reminded that, although Maloney does present a safety risk, his rights are guaranteed under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms,” a police press release said.
“As such, the Nottawasaga OPP will act to protect these rights if they are infringed.”
— with files from Global News’ Ryan Rocca
Comments