Four recommendations made following murder of Calgary care worker by client

The union representing a Calgary care worker who was killed on the job by a client nearly six years ago is asking the province to accept and implement changes suggested by an investigation into her death.

Deborah Onwu, 47, was murdered on Oct. 25, 2019, while working an overnight shift at a Woods Homes Society (WHS) assisted living home in southwest Calgary.

Her client, 18-year-old Brandon Newman, stabbed Onwu 19 times.

The teen was sent for a psychiatric evaluation before ultimately being found fit to stand trial. He pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in September 2021.

He was sentenced to 14 years in prison by a judge.

Newman had a history of violent behaviour and was convicted of aggravated assault in the violent February 2017 attack on a staff member at a Youth Residential Facility in Elk Island. The victim in that incident was left with permanent injuries.

Onwu was alone with Newman when she was attacked and killed, following changes made to the teen’s care plan, which lowered the staff-to-client ratio from 2:1 to 1:1.

The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) has been advocating for change and better protections for social workers since Onwu was killed. The union requested the fatality inquiry, which has since presented four recommendations to improve conditions.

“Deborah Onwu didn’t need to die that night,” said CUPE Alberta President, Raj Uppal. “If she had the full history of the client’s behaviour, if she had a co-worker, if there were other precautions taken, she might still be here.

“We owe it to her and other workers in the social work field to do everything we can to prevent this tragedy from happening again.”

Four recommendations made

The first recommendation in the report is for information to be shared between agencies; the full extent of Newman’s involvement in the Elk Island incident and the injuries suffered by the employee weren’t disclosed to WHS before he was transferred.

Justice Karim Z. Jivraj said in his report that a transparent disclosure of violence-related hazards posed by a client is essential in an agency’s choice whether to accept a transferred client or not, but is also effective in developing appropriate risk mitigation strategies.

Jivraj is recommending that the Occupational Health and Safety legislation be changed to require agencies transferring at-risk youth to provide various pieces of information, including whether they have committed or threatened to commit acts of violence.

The second recommendation is that this information be shared with the employees of these agencies who are caring for individuals with complex needs.

In Onwu’s case, she had some information about Newman, but it is unclear if she truly knew the risk he posed to her safety.

Jivraj wants Alberta’s OHS laws to be amended to require employers to inform workers that they are made aware of a client’s history and changes in behaviour related to violence and/or harassment.

Furthermore, it is also being recommended that the provincial Office of the Public Guardian and Trustee automatically assume Trustee and Guardianship status over any minor transitioning to adulthood who is unable to handle their own affairs due to cognitive impairment. This was the scenario in Newman’s case, and when he turned 18, he began managing his own affairs, which Jivraj determined put himself and others at risk.

Lastly, it is recommended that the Government of Alberta create comprehensive occupational health and safety standards specific to the sector.

The Ministry of Children, Family Services says it has received the recommendations and is considering whether changes will be made to current policies and practices.

“Ensuring strong occupational health and safety practices in child and youth facilities is essential, and we will not stop in our work to make a meaningful difference,” press secretary Daniel Verrier told CityNews. “When staff are safe, supported, and well-equipped to help those in their care, they are better able to focus on meeting the needs of the residents of those facilities.”