October 28, 2025

Two months. That’s how long it’s been since Bennett was taken from me.

Every day since, he’s been forced to navigate a world of unfamiliar faces, routines, and expectations—without the safety of home or the people who truly know how to support him. Under MCFD’s direction, he’s endured medical neglect, confusion, and trauma that no child should ever experience. The system that was supposed to protect him has instead caused him harm.

Bennett is autistic, medically complex, and incredibly brave. He doesn’t have the words to tell you how much this has hurt him—but his body tells the truth. His sleep, his routines, his spark… all disrupted. His hugs, like the one in these photos, have become much tighter.

This week, I spoke with an MCFD Complaint Specialist, who confirmed what I already knew—my complaints and correspondence had been sitting untouched for weeks because the department was on strike and had no access to files. They apologized for the delay and acknowledged receiving the October 28 letter from James Wales, Deputy of Child Welfare. They’re “catching up on everything” now, they said—an almost absurd understatement for the stakes involved.

We discussed the Administrative Review process—an official MCFD channel meant to examine fairness and conduct. They admitted the wait time is eight to twelve months and that my file sits at number thirty-six on the list. In the meantime, urgent concerns about Bennett’s health, safety, and care continue unresolved. They mentioned a “hybrid” option—resolving critical issues informally while submitting systemic failures for review—but the truth is, there’s nothing informal about a child’s suffering.

I outlined the current concerns, as I’ve done countless times before:

Bruising and Physical Safety — three separate incidents of unexplained bruising (September 15, October 18, and October 27). I described the FaceTime call on October 26 when Bennett cried out, “Don’t do that… that hurts,” and a staff member replied, “Then don’t push staff.” I reported the bruises I later saw on his arms and legs, but MCFD still hasn’t provided the HEAL Clinic documentation they claim exists. They said they would review the adequacy of MCFD’s response under “administrative fairness.”

Weight Loss and Appetite — I told him how Bennett’s spine and hip bones are now visible, how his body has grown thinner with every visit, and that no updated weight data has been shared with me.

Therapy and Behavioral Supports — every one of Bennett’s therapies has stopped since his apprehension. His trauma-based play therapist has not been allowed to see him. No confirmation has been provided about whether the new behaviour consultant is Board Certified or whether staff have any training in trauma or de-escalation care.

G-Tube Care and Medical Oversight — I described my repeated warnings about infection and granulation tissue forming around Bennett’s G-tube site, and my unanswered requests for MCFD to contact his G-tube nurse at BC Children’s Hospital who has working with him for over a year. Instead, I was told by the social worker that she was “having trouble reaching the G-tube nurse.” They agreed that this should have been followed up on. I also explained the reckless plan to wean Bennett off his G-tube after only two months, ignoring medical recommendations and risking another surgery if removed too soon.

Family Plan and Disclosure Delays — the so-called “Family Plan” was released six weeks past its legal deadline, full of unverified allegations. MCFD even tried to schedule a meeting for me to sign it before I’d seen the evidence. They barred my lawyer and advocates from attending, contradicting the signed consent forms. My counsel has since sent five unanswered letters. They confirmed these communication failures fall squarely within his jurisdiction to review.

Guardianship and Legal Status — they acknowledged the confusion MCFD created around the legal rights shared between Dylan and me under the interim custody order and promised to seek clarification from management.

I also informed him that I’ve met with MLA Rosalyn Bird to discuss holding a press conference about cases like ours. They confirmed that my professional complaints about MCFD social workers, filed with the BC College of Social Workers, will instead be handled by the Ministry’s internal HR branch since the social workers aren’t registered. He promised to confirm the submission of those complaints to the Director of Operations.

Two months into this separation, the picture is clear: while bureaucrats shuffle files and apologize for “delays,” a six-year-old boy’s health and safety hang in the balance. His G-tube is at risk, his therapies are gone, his weight is dropping, and his bruises remain unexplained.

This isn’t just a policy failure—it’s an active harm. And I will not stop documenting every single moment of it until my son is home, safe, and surrounded by people who actually know how to care for him.

The photos from today’s visit say what words can’t: love endures, even when the system fails.

#BringBennettHome #MCFD #AutismAwareness #DisabilityRights #SystemicFailure #UnSilenced #AdvocacyMatters #JusticeForBennett