Four new civil claims of fraud against a former provincial social worker — who is already embroiled in five other cases and a class action lawsuit — allege damning details of harm to vulnerable youth. Similar to the other cases filed in 2018, the four new claims allege Kelowna social worker Robert Riley Saunders manipulated teenagers in his care who were mainly Aboriginal youth. Ministry of Children and Family Development employees were aware of Saunders' misconduct and negligence, but didn't do enough to prevent it. Sex abuse in foster careIn one of them, plaintiff M.I., was placed in foster care at age seven. In November, the province outlined steps it took to protect affected children and youth since discovering Saunders may have been abusing his position.

Source: CBC News March 16, 2019 01:52 UTC