CAS responds

Embattled child protection agency goes on the offensive

Nearly three weeks after this newspaper reported allegations that an 11- year-old girl was returned to her foster family after she complained of inappropriate sexual conduct, the local CAS now says the story is untrue.

“None of the complainants in that case spent a single, further minute in that foster home after the allegations were made,” said Elaine Philip, incoming chair of the Children’s Aid Society of Prince Edward County. “That is our practice in all cases. And our files indicate that this was the case in this instance.”

CAS Executive Director Bill Sweet repeated the assertion.

“You are mistaken in your history. There were three complainants. When each young person made their complaint they were removed from the home and they were never returned.”

Pressed to add more substance to his assertion, Sweet simply repeated that the Times was wrong in its reporting.

“Your record is entirely inaccurate,” said Sweet. “But we are not in a position to share file information—but I can tell you right now that when any of those young people complained they were removed from the home and they never returned.”