Katelynn Sampson inquest hears from CAS worker who received calls about her
Posted November 19, 2015 11:48 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
A coroner’s inquest into the death of a seven-year-old Toronto girl killed by her legal guardians is hearing from a former child welfare worker who received two calls about her.
Hamid Jivraj was an intake worker at the Children’s Aid Society of Toronto and was assigned to look into calls the agency received about Katelynn Sampson in December 2007 and February 2008.
At the time, Katelynn was living with her guardians Donna Irving and Warren Johnson, who were granted custody despite having several criminal convictions.
Katelynn’s mother, Bernice Sampson, was addicted to crack and gave her daughter to Irving and Johnson in a misguided attempt to give the girl a better life.
Katelynn was then beaten for months and died from septic shock on Aug. 3, 2008.
Irving and Johnson pleaded guilty three years ago of second-degree murder in the girl’s death and were sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 15 years.
The inquest into Katelynn’s death has heard that two child welfare organizations — CAS and Native Child and Family Services — were contacted about her or had dealings with her guardians while she was living with them.
