Fri, June 9, 2006
CCAS link in several deaths
By VIVIAN SONG, TORONTO SUN
The death of Jeffrey Baldwin isn't the only high-profile case that has involved the Catholic Children's Aid Society.
- The CCAS placed foster children in the care of Paul Blackwell, 64, who last month admitted to sexually abusing two wards
of the CCAS between 1977 and 1992.
- In 1997, Jordan Heikamp, 5 weeks old, was left to starve to death. Heikamp slowly wasted away to skin and bones in a women's
shelter while under the CCAS's watch, and died at 4 pounds, 2 ounces -- 4 ounces less than his birth weight.
- Afua Boateng, 4, was killed by her schizophrenic mother the day after a neighbour pleaded with CCAS to remove the child.
Rosina Boateng was found not criminally responsible for the 1995 death because of her mental disorder.
47 INJURIES
Afua suffered 47 injuries, which drained all the blood from her heart and killed her. The mother -- who believed her child
was possessed by the devil -- cut her daughter's wrists and put hot pepper in the child's eyes.
Agency workers decided Afua showed no signs of any type of violence or injury.
- In 1994, Sara Podniewicz, 6 months old, was killed by her crack-addicted mother Lisa Olsen, who, six years earlier, had
pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and endangering the life of her 10-week-old son Mikey in 1988. Sara suffered 24 broken
bones, including 16 ribs, which led to fatal pneumonia. The CCAS had the legal responsibility to protect her. Olsen, and Sara's
father Michael Podniewicz were found guilty of murdering the infant.
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