Inquest into Hamilton teens’ death suggests failure by child warfare system, police

The inquest into the death of Devon Freeman heard that he was failed by the child welfare system and by Hamilton police during closing arguments today.

“Devon Freeman lost hope in a system, that lost hope in him.” A representative from Aboriginal Legal Services spoke to the jury today and said the child welfare system failed 16-year-old Freeman. A system, they said that didn’t connect him with the Indigenous supports and activities he could have benefited from.

Freeman was living at the Lynwood Charlton group home in Flamborough when he disappeared in October 2017. Freeman’s body was found near the home six months later. Freeman’s death was deemed a suicide.

In closing arguments today, the jury heard that Freeman’s suicidal thoughts were not always shared with the people that should have known. Aboriginal Legal Services and the lawyer representing Freeman’s family say the child welfare system, and Hamilton police need to do better to prevent other tragedies.

Closing arguments will continue tomorrow and then the jury will have to deliberate on dozens of recommendations. One set of recommendations that all parties agree on, and another set that all but the Ministry of Children Community and Social Services agree on.

“The family supports and encourages you to adopt all of the recommendations before you today,” the lawyer representing Freeman’s family told the jury today.

Aboriginal Legal Services touched on the importance of the inquest saying, “there were no final words left by Devon that were found… but it’s my submission that he wanted to speak to you.”