Calgary couple say the system failed their “princess”
Posted May 5, 2011 7:53 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Bruce and Francisca Anderson have some serious questions for the child welfare system after they say it failed it their little “princess.”
Police have ruled the death of their granddaughter, 14-month-old Sarvia Elizabeth Velasquez, a homicide after autopsy reports showed the girl died of asphyxia.
The Andersons say Elizabeth was never removed after they lodged several complaints with child services about the girl’s welfare.
Their son shared custody of the little girl with the child’s mother and the mother’s boyfriend.
The paternal grandparents say they began to notice things like rashes from her diaper not being changed, Elizabeth becoming fearful of strangers and crying because she was in pain.
In the two months leading up to her death, the toddler had two broken legs.
“There is a system in place but it obviously broke down,” Bruce Anderson tells Citytv. “There are policies; no one wanted this to happen.”
The couple wants to know how officials could choose to leave their granddaughter in her home.
Alberta Children and Youth Services has confirmed an investigation began immediately after the call and have started an internal review.
Police also say they had visited the home on prior occasions but won’t give any details.
So far no charges have been laid in the case and police say they are not ruling anyone out.
At the time of the incident, the child was in the care of her mother and mother’s boyfriend in their Forest Lawn home.
Homicide Staff Sergeant Grant Miller says the couple is cooperating.
The Andersons call the case a “failure of the system” and do not plan on stopping until they find her killer.
