Woman with autism dies in CFS care. No accountability, no closure for the family.

Her name was Lydia Whitford. She was in CFS care for 10 years before dying. Her family demands answers and seeks closure.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/lydia-whitford-manslaughter-charge-stayed-1.4656034

Here is an article about a woman who was autistic and died in the care of Child and Family Services. Lisa Campbell was Lydia's support worker for 3 years before becoming her foster parent. Lydia had extensive bruising on her collar bone and arms at the time of death. Lisa Campbell was charged with manslaughter but the charge was stayed for lack of evidence.

The article is quoted as "The family of an 18-year-old Manitoba woman with autism who died in care says they've been left without closure, after a manslaughter charge against the woman's foster mother was stayed last week.
Lisa Marie Campbell was charged last December, more than a year after Lydia Whitford's July 2016 death in the rural municipality of Springfield.
The Crown stayed the charge on May 3, citing a lack of medical evidence." As well as "Whitford, who had autism and epilepsy and was non-verbal, lived with Campbell at the Springfield residence where she was found dead, according to family. Whitford had been in care for 10 years and was in the care of Sandy Bay Child and Family Services at the time of her death. Family said Campbell was Whitford's special needs worker for three years before becoming her foster parent. Whitford's death wasn't initially ruled suspicious but RCMP said in December 2016 they were investigating it as a homicide. Campbell was arrested in December 2017."

Lydia's older sister Jessica Whitford is quoted in the article as saying "It's not fair and it's not right," and "I'm tired of always wondering.… We need some type of closure.My sister deserves that." And also "nobody else is doing anything."
She also said "I'm trying to get all this together to see what I can do about this," as well as "She was my only biological sister.… I did everything with her,"

Jessica Whitford has been trying to do what she can to get justice for her sister and closure for her family. She met with the crown and will have another meeting. She requested the results of the autopsy and tried to get her dead sisters medical files from CFS but was told CFS no longer has them.

Lydia and Jessica were very close growing up and she needs answers her family needs closure. Manitoba needs a better system not only for kids in care but also those with mental health issues. There needs to be more done to keep the family connections strong. There needs to be more accountablity for those that work in the system.

I will end the article by quoting Jessica Campbell as she said "I want people to remember her as the kind and loving person she was."