FAMILY WANTS ANSWERS

The family of a 12-year-old boy who overdosed on his father's methadone is
demanding answers from the Ministry for Children and Families as to why he
was returned to his father's care.

Keegan Bryce Gillespie died July 17 after experimenting with his father's
methadone, prescribed to help him overcome a heroin addiction.

Keegan's uncle, Gary Gillespie, says his nephew was in the ministry's care
up until six weeks before his death. The ministry, which had taken Keegan
away from his father numerous times since his mother died in 1992, allowed
him to move in with him after his foster parents moved to Florida.

"This was 100 per cent preventable," Gillespie says. "If I was working for
the ministry, I'd be on the ball a lot more than that. Now, we're going to
start asking our own questions."

Gillespie says the family is growing angrier as each day passes because
they have yet to get even a phone call from the ministry.

"We're very, very concerned. He's a 12-year-old boy and he didn't even have
a chance at life."

Ministry spokesperson Marisa Adair says deputy director Julie Dawson is
reviewing the file, but could not say why the decision was made to return
Keegan to his father.

"We can't violate privacy here. We can't talk specifics about any case."
She says an in-depth assessment is done on any file when a child is
returned to their parent(s).

"The safety of a kid is our primary concern. This is not a decision we make
lightly."

Besides the internal inquiry, the Children's Commission is also investigating.

Keegan's mother died in 1992. The immediate cause of her death was
pneumonia; however, the autopsy report states heroin poisoning was the
underlying cause of death.

Keegan also had traces of marijuana in his system, but it was such a small
amount it could have been the result of secondhand smoke.