By Rick Pusiak
Parents and children in Minnow Lake are frightened following word that convicted child killer Daryl Cowles has relocated to their neighbourhood.
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Daryl Cowles |
Cowles moved home earlier this year to Whitefish after spending over nine years in custody for stabbing nine-year-old Rosalyn Dupuis in 1992. He was convicted of manslaughter.
Last Thursday the principal of St. Pius XII School on Third Avenue sent a letter home to parents and guardians stating that "a high risk offender has relocated to our area."
The alert advises parents to review personal safety rules and procedures with their children such as not talking to strangers or people who make them feel uncomfortable; to avoid isolated areas; to use the buddy system when playing; and to avoid playing alone outside.
"Please ensure your children know a safe house in your area where they can go if they feel afraid or uneasy," reads the letter from Chet Patterson.
"I want to assure you your child's safety here at school is our top priority. Teachers will be reviewing safety rules and procedures here at school and will be teaching lessons on personal safety as well."
The letter then stresses in big bold letters that it is very important for parents or caregivers to contact the school each time a student is to be away or late for school.
There is also a reminder for parents to report to the main office first when visiting the school.
"Please be assured that all precautionary steps are being taken to ensure your child's safety here at school," continues the letter, which does not give information about who the high-risk offender is.
"We are working closely with police, our school council, staff and school community on behalf of your children."
The director of education for the Sudbury Catholic District School Board, Bob Boucher, said the school was contacted by Sudbury police and the board approved the release of a parent alert.
"We were first advised by (local) police that a high risk offender had relocated in the vicinity of our school," said Boucher.
"From there we sent a notice to all the parents that same day to indicate, or advise parents such a high-risk offender had relocated."
Boucher said the board does not have the mandate to issue names or descriptions of high risk offenders.
That didn't sit well with parent Sharon Miller.
She said the generic nature of the alert was a little unnerving and the name of the individual in question, his offence and conditions put on his release should have been spelled out.
She also believes the initial release should have been made by police with a followup release from the school.
"I didn't know what it was in regards to," said Miller. "Was it a high risk sex offender? If you're going to put out those letters at least have somebody in the government or somebody in the community, the police, backing up that information through the media...it kinda felt like it was...we're going to let you know, but we're not going to let you know everything."
Miller said she and others are trying not to over react to Cowles's new location, but she says her 10-year-old son is frightened.
"It's scary," said Miller. "Especially if you've got kids that you can't keep in your yard...I've got a 10-year-old son who has friends all within five minutes of here, but they're out and about all the time. It's a little nerve wracking."
She has taken the extra precaution of driving her son door-to-door on his paper route.
The English public board issued its own release out of Adamsdale school.
"You're walking a fine line," explained Gord Ewin, the director of education for the Rainbow District School Board.
"You want to alert parents and kids to the potential danger so they can take steps, but you don't want to scare so the kids are afraid to even go outside the door. We're trying to balance safety of the kids (while) not instilling fear."
There was no name on the Adamsdale release either. Ewin felt the information supplied in the alert was sufficient.
The French public and separate boards did not issue an alert.
Conseil scolaire du district du grand nord de l'Ontario does not have a school in the Third Avenue area.
A spokesperson for Conseil scolaire catholique du nouvel-Ontario said it was felt publicity that had already been generated on the matter was sufficient.
