CAYS managers revealed failings at boys home
(CNS): Staff employed by the CAYS Foundation, which runs the Bonaventure Boys Home in West Bay, revealed a number of shortcomings at the care facility when they gave evidence of behalf of the crown during the recent trial of Larry Levers and Michael Stewart. Both Levers and Stewart were acquitted Thursday of the manslaughter of Risco Batten (14), who drowned during a fishing trip in November 2015, after the prosecution fell well short of proving the case against them.
Almost from the very beginning of the trial witnesses called by the crown who were employed by CAYS at the time of Batten’s death revealed a list of failings at the home. They indicated that there was a total lack of the type of policies and procedures which, if they had been in place, might have prevented the tragic death of the teenager, thereby undermining the crown’s case.
Although some significant changes have now been implemented at the care home, they were not in place when that fateful fishing trip took place, regardless of efforts by the crown to claim they were.
The general manager of the home and the foundation itself, whose contract was not renewed when it ended at the end of last year, gave evidence via video link. Sydney Williams did everything he could to point the finger at the Ministry of Community Affairs, which is responsible for the CAYS Foundation, as well as the board of directors.
Other staff who testified in the trial were often defensive, denying any liability for what happened to Batten. Williams, who was the most senior person at the home at that time, was the most emphatic in his categorical refusal to accept responsibility for the lack of procedures at the home, even though the development of safety policy was part of his role.
Williams made it clear that he had managed the home based on what he found when he arrived, following how things appeared to have always been done. He told the court that when he arrived there was no policy about asking staff if they could swim. So, he said, “I didn’t ask anyone and no one asked me.”
He told the jury that the board and the ministry were responsible for the policies, not him, and he took his directions from them. Williams claimed he was never given any instructions by his superiors about only allowing boys to go out with supervisors who could swim if they were fishing or snorkelling. He said the ministry needed to take responsibility for any oversight, as he claimed things had been that way for years.
Williams confirmed that there were no formal locations for fishing or any restrictions on where they boys were taken.
He also revealed that he was one of a number of senior employees who, in the wake of Batten’s death, were supplied with lawyers by the foundation when they were interviewed by police. But Williams said he believed that the lawyers were there to protect the board rather than the managers.
However, it was notable that neither Levers nor Stewart were offered the same support when they were first interviewed.
Jennifer Leach-Tippetts, who is still employed as a manager at the home, revealed that as well as there being no policy requiring that supervisors who took boys off-site for water related activities could swim, there was no policy in place to ask the boys themselves if they could swim.
During the trial the jury also learned that, although new signs about the strong current are now in place on the beach in South Sound where Batten drowned, they were not there at the time.
The crown had based its case against Levers and Stewart on the grounds that they had been lax in their supervision of the boys and had failed to follow procedures, and that they should have known that the spot where they took the boys was dangerous.
However, it was clear from the start of the trial that there were no safety policies or procedure in place at the home, that there was no requirement for the staff to be able to swim, that boys were not routinely asked about their swimming abilities, and there were no set places for or any locations that were off limits.
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“there was no policy in place to ask the boys themselves if they could swim.”
What kind of bullshit is this? Is it not common sense to ask if someone can swim before they enter the ocean? This is such a piss poor excuse. Every single member should be questioned and apprehended for the loss of a 14 year old boy, Risco Batten. He deserved way better and had a life ahead of him.
I totally agree. It’s common sense and they should’ve known better.
As the Director of the home he should have created policies to protect staff and residents and sought approval from the board and ministry.
Sorry for the boy’s family as they will not receive justice in this case unless they sue for negligence.
So who do i blame for the child’s death CIG
Who do i Sue CIG
“There’s nothing that says it’s wrong, so it must be right.” – A criminal
How were these people able to be hired without doing a thorough background?
Who’s in charge of hiring these people?
Money can’t fix stupidity, as we’ve learned time and time again. These children have left traumatizing lives to go to a facility that traumatizes them even more. Where’s Eden’s outrage for this? He’s too busy blaming gays for natural disasters! I bet if there was a gay person in the home cig would immediately turn all their focus on it!
They are children of a lesser God obviously. No one cares what happens to the children least of all the Department of Education and Social Services.
I am sure that there was not “policy” which stated that no one should take a dump in the living room but they knew that should not be done. Responsible persons should not need a policy for everything. If I cannot swim then I know I should not be in charge of persons (any age) who are in the water.
This reminds me of the credit card & the WB politician – no policy to say I could not use it for THAT purpose.
How very sad for children who are already stressed by their lives! I just don’t know how people in charge of them, no matter their level of intelligence and training, could not pull up some human care and decency!
How could there be any Caymanian adults that could profess not to know there are dangerous rip currents at “pull or be damned reef”?
They’re not Caymanians familiar with Cayman that’s part of the problem. But we get blamed for everything because the foreign element doesn’t kmow a Caymanian when they see one.
The duties of “Pastoral care”…non existent.
Policies can’t fix stupidity. We see this fact in Cayman all the time in all areas.
You are hired with safety as part as your role but then the excuse is, I just did as had always been done. How does that fly?
Policies, no policies! All BS! What about pure common sense?! One doesn’t need policies to be concerned about the well-being of one’s charges. Simply determine whether the person can swim or not and make sensible decisions based on that!
Morons in charge!
And don’t just ask them if they can swim, make them prove it. Too many people get jobs here based on what they claim they can do rather than what they actually can do – I’ve seen that with crews at Stingray City.
Who is on the Board?
Who was responsible at the Ministry?
Community Affairs fall under the Premier’s remit
Put in simple terms – they have no risk assessments of any kind in place at the home.
4:39 Do you think the management at the home even understands the concept of ‘risk assessment’? Reading this it doesn’t sound like it.
You can have all the policies in place, do all the risk assessment you like, without leadership and sound management, as well as scrutiny, it will not mean that anything changes. These children are already traumatised when they enter this and other facilities, and we compound their suffering with inadequate care.