Canada - Lee Allan Bonneau, 6, beaten to death by 10yo boy, 21 Aug 2013

[Snoopster]

Information obtained by CBC News and confirmed by officials Tuesday shows the child believed responsible was considered a troubled boy who was known to be "violent and unpredictable."

CBC News also learned a weapon was used, but Brost said investigators were still trying to determine what that weapon was.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/story/2013/09/03/sk-rcmp-conference-bonneau-death-child-suspect.html

On CBC radio at 6:00 tonight (EST), they said that the suspected perpetrator and the victim were unknown to each other. So I guess that answers the question as to whether the alleged killer was at Lee's foster home. On the radio they also said that the alleged killer had been in a serious incident a couple of years ago and social services was involved with him and his family. Sounds like there are some serious problems related to this boy!!

 

[jwbear]

This whole thing is just maddening. A child killing a child.

After the press conference our local station was reporting that Lee was witnessed walking out of the bingo hall with the boy accused of killing him, this is the only article that mentions they were seen together.

http://www.edmontonsun.com/2013/09/03/lee-bonneau-death-police-confirm-6-year-old-beaten-to-death-by-boy-under-12

I wonder if the foster parent can be charged. He was only 6 years old, playing alone in a parking lot with some unknown dogs? And thats suppose to be o.k?

 

[Caligram]

Poor little boy - only six-years-old. A life so short, so brutally ended. May he rest in peace.

 

[matou]

The social agency responsible for the 10-year-old Saskatchewan boy who police believe killed six-year-old Lee Bonneau in 2013 was warned by his school and the RCMP about his behavioural problems but the response was inadequate, a report says.

more at http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saska...of-boy-10-was-avoidable-report-says-1.2643066

 

[jwbear]

Yorkton Tribal Council defends handling of boy suspected in killing.....

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saska...andling-of-boy-suspected-in-killing-1.2644399

Two young boys, both with hard lives before the age of 10.

 

[Rayemonde]

April 2015:

The 10-year-old seemed scared, but excited, an inquest into Bonneau’s death heard Thursday. The boy, who can only be identified as L.T., told friends a “big guy” had hit a little boy three times with a stick, pushed him down an embankment, then hit him with a rock.

Then his story changed – and L.T. admitted he had killed Bonneau. “Don’t tell on me,” he told his friends. He was afraid of going to jail, he said...

The inquest heard that at that point in time, L.T. was awaiting a psychological assessment because he’d been hearing voices...

He was also previously known to the RCMP for incidents ranging from spray-paint mischief to a break-in that culminated in the killing of a pregnant dog and her pups, which had been removed from the adult dog’s body

http://news.nationalpost.com/news/c...when-he-talked-about-killing-boy-inquest-told

 

[Rayemonde]

Lee Bonneau liked to laugh and play. The shy six-year-old especially enjoyed flying his remote-controlled airplane, going to the park, playing computer games and watching cartoons...


Derek [-not his real name] had fetal alcohol syndrome, his school had raised several concerns with the agency responsible for him — Yorkton Tribal Council Child and Family Services – and at one point the school pleaded “for help for Derek.”

http://news.nationalpost.com/news/c...eserve-a-train-wreck-that-we-could-see-coming

 

[Rayemonde]

When he was first interviewed by police LT repeated the accusation that another man had killed the six-year-old, even providing police with a name. But an investigation soon ruled out the adult suspect and forensic evidence gathered by police — including a bite mark on the victim’s body — pointed to LT as the most likely culprit.

http://www.news.com.au/world/boy-10...u/news-story/7a61b0dce83ba199e6f1ccdd1970d59f

 

[Rayemonde]

Some more snippets, tweeted by a journalist who.was at the April 2015 Inquest:


@arielle_zerr
Ramstead hugged LT at scene, she did that because he was crying. At the time she didn't know it was the boy accused of killing Lee.

LT was arrested by Thomson for assault with a weapon. Said LT did not understand he was being arrested.

Thomson heard just after midnight Lee had died. She also sezied LT's shoes after that. There were flecks of blood on them.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saska...s-photos-of-lee-bonneau-death-scene-1.3024945

 

[Rayemonde]

During an interview with investigators a day after Lee Bonneau's slaying August 21, 2013, L.T. reverted back to his original version of events, telling Royal Canadian Mounted Police that a 'big person' committed the crime.

The 10-year-old named the purported killer and told law enforcement officials that he even walked up to the man and asked him what he was doing.
'I'm just killing a little boy,' L.T. quoted the man as saying.

Police later questioned the person identified by L.T. and cleared him of any wrongdoing...

RCMP Cpl. Donna Zawislak testified court that when officers came to the child's house and said that Lee Bonneau has died, the 10-year-old did not react.
The following day, L.T. sat down for a forensic interview, saying he had been a witness to the killing, not the perpetrator. When asked about the blood stains on his clothes and shoes, the 10-year-old blamed it on a nosebleed...

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...riends-blamed-big-guy-rock.html#ixzz3wVp55Q73

[Dr Susan] Petryk said she examined the boy in March 2013 and discovered he had an undiagnosed — and severe — form of FASD, with brain impairment and intellectual disability...

Petryk was also asked to comment about the violent acts connected to L.T. and FASD.

"There's no connection with FASD that I'm aware of," she said. However she did note that one element of the disorder concerns controlling impulses. "Impulsive aggression can be seen [in FASD patients]."

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saska...-official-in-tears-during-testimony-1.3033899

On Monday, the RCMP investigator in charge of Bonneau's case told the inquest there were 23 complaints against L.T., beginning when the boy was six and police received a report that he had been engaging in sexually inappropriate behaviour at school.

When more reports were made about L.T. exposing himself publicly, or touching or even assaulting other children sexually, the RCMP became so concerned that they interviewed L.T. to see if had been the victim of sexual abuse. There was no evidence that was the case.

Two years later, L.T. and another boy were suspected of killing a pregnant dog and its unborn puppies following a break and enter. Police found a baseball bat and golf club on the property...

In August of 2012, L.T. was slapped by his father who was charged and convicted of assault. Later that year L.T. witnessed what investigators called a gruesome aggravated assault.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saska...s-about-boy-10-who-allegedly-killed-1.3031420

Dr. Shaun Ladham, the forensic pathologist who examined [Lee Bonneau], testified Thursday that the youngster died from blunt force trauma to the head...

Ladham said the nature of the injuries suggests there was "considerable force" behind the blows. He added that the boy was likely on the ground when the major injuries, to the left side of his head and face, were inflicted. He said the amount of force would be consistent with kicking or stomping or the use of a weapon.

Ladham also testified that it would be possible for a ten-year-old boy to generate the amount of force associated with the trauma.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saska...s-at-inquest-into-lee-bonneau-death-1.3027188

According to Watson 16 different employees of the agency dealt with files related to the boy and there were nine formal complaints concerning L.T. over four years. Yet only one person interviewed L.T.

Watson told the inquest that a 2008 complaint concerned allegations of neglect in L.T.'s home, suggesting the child's mother was drinking and not providing lunches for the boy. However, there was no response to the complaint and the investigation was eventually closed.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saska...-official-in-tears-during-testimony-1.3033899

[Child Protection Investigator Pat Santo] testified that efforts to interview L.T. were also difficult, as the boy's father didn't want him talking to his son and L.T. was reluctant to respond to questions...


In one meeting in March 2013, Santo said, he spoke with L.T. while the boy was in a truck. He said the boy told him he was hearing voices of a man, a woman and a baby.

"'They're telling me to get out of the truck,'" Santo recalled the boy saying.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saska...lling-6-year-old-was-hearing-voices-1.3032344

"[He's] a beautiful boy," L.T.'s mother said, openly crying as she spoke about the boy who has been living in supervised care, not on the reserve, since Lee's death. "I just want my son home."...

She said the family would have benefited from more consistent support and counseling from the child and family services agency...

[L.T.'s father said he] had some concerns about L.T. staying out late at night, but had no comments about more serious behaviour problems.

He was not at home at the time of Lee's death, as he was in jail starting in June of that year.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saska...f-l-t-alleged-killer-of-lee-bonneau-1.3035108

 

[Rayemonde]

August 2015:

The parents of Lee Allan Bonneau are suing the Saskatchewan government over the killing of their six-yearold son, who died in foster care when he was likely beaten by another troubled child...

The inquest heard L.T., struggling with severe mental and behavioural problems, was receiving assistance from the Yorkton Tribal Council Child and Family Services but hadn’t been apprehended. After Bonneau’s death, he was deemed a child in need of protection and placed in a care facility.

An RCMP investigation concluded L.T. had beaten Lee with a rock and a stick. L.T. had a previous history of disturbing behaviour, including sexually touching other children....

http://leaderpost.com/news/local-news/province-sued-in-foster-death-of-lee-allan-bonneau

 

[Rayemonde]

2014 Report by Bob Pringle, Saskatchewan's children's advocate - "Two Tragedies: Holding Systems Accountable":

http://www.indianz.com/m.asp?url=ht...untable_Advocate_ Childre_ Youth_May_2014.pdf

Lots and lots of information in this document.

 

[Rayemonde]

From "Two Tragedies", referring to the dog and unborn pups that "Derek"/ L.T. and another boy allegedly killed when Derek was just 8.5 years old -

This serious incident of alleged animal abuse was a
clear opportunity for the Agency to intervene to help
Derek and his family, but it was overlooked.

Mental health indicators:
Extensive research has identified that animal
abuse is an indicator that can be used to help
identify youth who may commit violent acts
against other people in the future.30 Since 1987,
the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental
Disorders has included physical cruelty to
animals as one of the symptoms of Conduct
Disorder, behaviour that either violates the
rights of others, or breaks major societal
norms.31