The parents of the 10-year-old boy accused of killing Lee Bonneau were both visibly shaken and upset as they took the stand at the inquest into the six-year-old's death.
When asked Wednesday, the parents of the troubled boy, who is being referred to as LT to protect his identity, admitted they would have appreciated counselling had it been offered.
Betty Watson, a former manager of Yorkton Tribal Council Child and Family Services, testified that the agency received nine complaints about LT over a period of about four years. However, only one interview was formally completed.
Watson wept on the stand when recounting her personal failures with LT’s case.
The inquest also heard from a pediatric specialist who diagnosed LT with a severe form of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) in 2013.
The specialist testified that his case was very serious, among the top 10 per cent of those she’s seen. She also said many of LT’s behaviours are associated with FASD but added that the extreme violence in the case of Lee’s death is not something she had ever seen before.
She said there should be implementation of provincewide FASD specialists who can help parents navigate the complicated system.
Based on a report by CTV Regina’s Morgan Campbell
