Vancouver, B.C (WNews Vancouver) – The suspect that sparkled the Monday night Amber Alert of a 3-year-old male made allegations on a GoFundMe campaign that the Ministry of Children and Family Development took her son, unlawfully.
On Monday night, the Vancouver Police issued an amber alert on Jenny Chanthaboula, 33, just after 11 p.m.. She was described as the suspect in the Amber alert. It has been reported that the child was taken from BC Children’s Hospital, located on Oak Street in Vancouver.
Earlier, around 11:20 pm, an alert was sent out by the province’s emergency response system, Alert Ready, using the province’s emergency response system. The message was received by many on their televisions, radios, and even via text messages from their friends and family.
On Tuesday morning, the child and the mother were located near Calgary, Alberta about a 10-hour drive from Vancouver. The Amber Alert was cancelled just before 7 am.
In the meantime, the child is being cared for and the suspect has been arrested. In a release, police say RCMP officers located the child and his mother earlier this morning.
According to the GoFundMe campaign by the person named Lady Wiloh Skyspeaks, “The Ministry [Children and Family Development] has sent police to my door to forcefully remove my child from me under the orders that my son receive severe medical treatment for the doctor’s “recommendation”.” WNews has verified that it was Jenny Chanthaboula who started the campaign, late last week.
“My son is a healthy 3-year-old, who lives happily with us, his mother & father on a farm with chickens and food in abundance.” says the introduction of the campaign.
According to the YouTube video posted on September 15, on September 11, Chanthaboula’s mother contacted her saying that her son had broken out in a fever and had seizures. Her son was transferred to Surrey Memorial Hospital. The doctor mentioned that her son said a possible chance of having Streptococcus pneumonia.
#VPDNews: Phaivanh Correia-Chanthabouala, the three-year-old child that was the subject of an Amber Alert, has been found near Calgary, Alberta. The child is now receiving care and a suspect has been arrested. https://t.co/3p18G2A38d
— Vancouver Police (@VancouverPD) September 20, 2022
In the update on September 15, 2022, Chanthaboula alleged that MCFD took custody of her son just after 6 pm and made medical decisions for her son without her approval including a Lumbar tap.
“UPDATE: THE MINISTRY HAS TAKEN CUSTODY OF MY SON AND HAS REMOVED ME IN MAKING ANY MEDICAL DECISIONS FOR HIM. At 6pm Thursday the 15th, the Ministry apprehended my son from my custody, temporarily removing us as his legal guardian. Though we showed up at the hospital ready and willing to cooperate and give our consent, the Ministry decided that we were to leave the hospital that night and are no longer allowed to even have visitation with him. He is undergoing surgery for Lumbar Spinal Fluid tap today, Friday the 16th. All without my consent.”
According to the post online, her son was getting treatment for possible Meningitis, and the test came back negative.
“Today Saturday at 3pm we were informed that Phai’s Meningitis scare came back negative.”
The doctor informed Chanthaboula that her son would have to remain in the hospital for a further nine or ten days after he was released from the hospital, so she could take her son home.
“No. The Ministry has decided that our son stay another 9 days or more to continue pumping penicillin into his system to treat him as if he still has Meningitis anyway.
This was his 8th or 10th poke for procedures. I can’t keep track anymore. We really didn’t want them to do it, and because we showed signs of interference, they sent in a head of ministry social worker to mediate between us and the doctors/nurses.”
Ministry of Children & Family Development may intervene to protect child’s health and safety
We contacted the Ministry of Children and Family Development for comments, but they denied publicly commenting about the individual case due to confidentiality rules. In an email statement to WNews Vancouver, MCFD spokesperson, Ashley Williams mentioned that the MCFD’s “priority is always the safety and well-being of children.”
“Due to confidentiality, we cannot comment publicly on – or confirm ministry involvement with – any individual or family.”
“Any time concerns about a child’s safety are brought to the ministry, staff assess the situation and, if necessary, may take action if there is an immediate risk to a child’s health or safety.
This may include instances where a parent or caregiver may refuse medically necessary or life-saving care or treatment.
In such instances, efforts are made to ensure intervention is the minimum necessary to protect the child’s health and safety.
In certain circumstances, a timely response may require delegated staff authorizing health care for a child under the care of the ministry if, in the opinion of a health care provider, the health care should be provided without delay.”
The GoFundMe campaign has raised over $8,000 as of the time of publication.
Updated at 2:15 pm PDT to add an email statement from the Ministry of Children and Family Development
