BY RICK PUSIAK
Steve, Marc and Serge Gravel say they have nowhere else to turn.
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Steve, Marc and Serge Gravel are asking the Children?s Aid Society to remove their sister from their mother?s care. They?re talking to the media, and earlier this week held a demonstration outside the CAS office. |
They?ve gone to local media in an attempt to put pressure on the Children?s Aid Society (CAS) to order the removal of their six-year-old sister from the custody of their mother.
The brothers claim the youngster is in an abusive situation.
In an interview with Northern Life, Marc Gravel said he basically raised the little girl, and in a best case scenario, would like to have custody.
At bare minimum he wants his sister put into a foster home.
The brothers claim they haven?t had much help from various Children?s Aid Society organizations over the past couple of years.
They?re communicating directly with the Ministry of Community and Social Services in Toronto in the hopes the government will order CAS to comply with their wishes.
The brothers have gone public before. Their sad plight was detailed in a Toronto Star article and featured on a recent broadcast of W5, the CTV investigative journalism program.
Steve, Marc and Serge come across as sincere young men in their early 20s.
Pain could be seen etched in their faces as they detailed how their mother bounced from one community to another. When allegations of abuse were raised, she managed to fool CAS, they said.
Last year the brothers rescued their little sister from their mother after discovering the pair was staying outside of Toronto.
They drove down south, then back to a friend?s place in Chelmsford to get a few hours sleep.
Before calling it a night, the brothers said they phoned CAS and local police to detail what they did and requested a meeting for the morning.
?I told them right off the bat, we?re not the criminals here,? said Marc Gravel.
?All I?m asking for from you guys is a promise of this child?s safety?I told them this child?s been through a lot today, let her get a good night?s rest and we?ll talk in the morning.?
Around 3 am the police showed up. Their sister was clinging to Marc and was physically pulled away.
?They had no manners,? said Steve.?It?s one thing coming into a home and removing a child?the way they did it, they stormed the place. There was eight police officers, Children?s Aid workers, and they ripped the girl?off (Marc?s) face.?
Marc Gravel said he tried to remain strong and not break down.
He asked the authorities for a few minutes to try and calm his sister down.
?I asked them very polite, like, can you not handcuff me in front of my little sister,? said Marc.
?Somebody just came and just grabbed her by the back and just pulled her right off me. I had scratch marks all over my face.?
The Gravel?s ended up being driven by the authorities to the Toronto area and were put in jail.
A judge later exonerated them.
Northern Life has learned police were given misleading information that mistakenly put the brothers in a bad light, and that?s why officers handled the situation as they did.
Police reportedly have launched an investigation into the way CAS has handled the case.
Their mother has moved back to the Sudbury area. The brothers are not allowed to check in on the little girl.
?The way I think we?re all starting to look at this is if CAS screws up, or if they don?t do their job, who puts them in their place,? said Steve.
?Like they?re their own little kingdom. They?re God.?
Marc Gravel said this past Monday they managed to have a member of the Child?s Advocacy Office in Toronto meet with a Ministry of Community and Social Services representative.
The brothers said Children?s Aid documents, specifically affidavits, were presented indicating their sister is in danger.
The Gravels hope the situation will be resolved soon, perhaps in a couple of weeks.
The brother?s, meanwhile, deny a CAS claim they have invaded their sister?s privacy by going public with the story.
