September 2, 2025

I want to share openly that the anonymous post on social media was mine. This story is about my son.

My name is Darian Thomas, and I’m his mom. I decided to post again from my personal page because I want to invite anyone who feels called to help, to please reach out to me directly. Families like mine shouldn’t be put in this position, but here we are—and I know we’re not alone.

I’m willing to take any and all suggestions, and I’m also willing to build an army if others are interested in standing with us. My son deserves safety, dignity, and the supports his medical team has fought for. Thank you for reading and for caring. Together, we can make more noise than any of us could alone.

Our Story

My son is six years old, medically fragile, and neurodevelopmentally complex. He receives nutrition and hydration through a G-tube, has severe bowel issues, and is diagnosed with Autism, ADHD, anxiety, and a rare genetic condition. His safety depends on highly skilled, familiar caregivers who know his scripts, sensory routines, and medical and behavioural protocols.

Since birth, I’ve been his sole guardian. This summer, I was hospitalized for medical reasons. In my absence, my son was also admitted to BC Children’s Hospital because there were no trained caregivers available to support him at home.

Together with his doctors and specialists, we created a clear, safe, family-led discharge plan:

• My brother (my son’s uncle) would step in as interim guardian.
• My son’s 24-hour Behaviour Intervention team—already trained in his G-tube and care routines at BCCH—would continue uninterrupted.
• A private nursing agency was prepared to provide RN oversight to meet legal delegation requirements.

Every one of my son’s treating professionals supported this plan. His pediatrician, psychiatrist, behavioural analyst, and clinical counsellor all wrote letters warning that moving him to strangers would be “highly detrimental” and unsafe.

What Happened

On August 28, 2025, the Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD) ignored all professional recommendations. I was told there were new “child protection concerns,” and without warning, they:

• Suspended my guardianship, decision-making authority, and contact with my child.
• Escorted my son’s trained BI team out of the hospital and barred their return.
• Blocked my brother from being with him, despite admitting they had no concerns about him. They failed to follow up with him the next day, right before a long weekend, leaving no clarity on contact.
• Pursued an emergency placement with unfamiliar caregivers who had no training in my son’s medical or behavioural care.

The placement they chose was the same resource the Ministry had previously proposed under a Special Needs Agreement—a plan I had already declined.

I immediately submitted written concerns to senior officials at both MCFD and BCCH, outlining the risks, lack of readiness, and why government care was not in my son’s best interests. Despite that, MCFD forced this option, disregarding medical evidence and my son’s fragile needs.

Why This Matters

My son’s care team has always been strong and engaged. Yet the moment I declined voluntary MCFD care in order to keep him safe at home, “child protection concerns” suddenly appeared—serious enough, apparently, to justify an abrupt apprehension. Not a single professional on my son’s team supported this action.

The Director’s mandate is to take the least intrusive measure. Instead, they chose the most intrusive and dangerous one—removing my son from the only people who know how to keep him safe and regulated.

That same night, my lawyer wrote to the Director, calling this negligence “appalling” and warning that it placed my son at immediate risk. Our voices, and the voices of his medical team, were ignored.

Why I’m Speaking Out

My son is not the first child harmed by this system, and unless we keep speaking out, he won’t be the last. Families like ours need allies, advocates, and accountability.

Thank you for reading our story. Please consider standing with us.

You can sign and share my petition to bring Bennett home safely here:
👉 Petition to Bring Bennett Home Safely

With gratitude,
Darian