Court date set

Charges laid against former Executive Director of Prince Edward County Children’s Aid Society

William Sweet, the former Executive Director of the now defunct Prince Edward County Children’s Aid Society (PECCAS) made an appearance in court on Wednesday, May 2 in regard to offences he allegedly committed during his tenure at the helm of PECCAS. Sweet is facing 10 counts of failure to provide the necessities of life and 10 counts of criminal negligence causing bodily harm. These charges stem from an OPP investigation that began in early 2016, focusing on what happened at PECCAS between 2002 and 2010.

The allegations centre around several foster care parents and the inappropriate and inexcusable interactions with the youth in their care. In one instance, the OPP removed a brother and sister from the home of an individual after the pair came forward to tell the police that they were being sexually abused. But instead of disciplining the individual, PECCAS assigned other children to his care and he continued his abuse for five more years. All the occurrences, some too disgusting to mention, happened under the supervision of Sweet as the Executive Director. Two of the foster parents involved have already been jailed for what they have done. In total, six foster parents were charged and convicted of sexually abusing the children in their care between 2005 and 2010.

Justice Geoff Griffin has had his eye on this situation for years now and started to direct attention towards Sweet and the top of the PECCAS organization when the numerous allegations under different roofs started to come forward. Griffin said that it boggled his mind that this amount of abuse and neglect could have gone unnoticed from the top down. Griffin was so upset at this case that he called for public inquiry, one that never happened. A subsequent report by the Ministry of Children and Youth Services was so troubling that it led to the demise of PECCAS due to severe safety concerns and what the report called “fundamental lapses” in their licensing and supervision of the foster homes that children were being sent to.

Mark Kartusch, Executive Director for Highland Shores Children’s Aid commented that, “The Society acknowledges the seriousness of these charges and has fully cooperated with the police investigation and will continue to do so. Our thoughts are with the young people who were affected and we are saddened to think that this may bring back for them the devastation that they were feeling at the time of the incidents.”

In an attempt to stop further occurrences like this from happening, the Children’s Aid Societies of the province will no longer be immune to investigation by the province and will be subject to a third party oversight in all of their dealings. As of March 1, the province now has the authority to investigate Children’s Aid Societies, including Native children under the Office of the Provincial Advocate for Children and Youth. They can investigate matters concerning a child or group of children receiving services from a Children’s Aid Society or a residential licensee where Children’s Aid has placed a child.

“My office is committed to carrying out fair, thorough and transparent investigations with the goal of ensuring young people feel heard, empowered and protected in the child welfare system. We will also look for ways to support those who have been entrusted to care for the province’s children and youth so we can strengthen the child welfare system and help young people reach their full potential,” says Irwin Elman, provincial advocate for children and youth.

Anyone who has a concern may now request an investigation from the Office of the Provincial Advocate for Children and Youth and their new investigation unit.

William Sweet will make his next appearance in court on June 6 in Picton.