More civil claims filed against province, former social worker in negligence, fraud case

Four new civil claims of fraud againsta former provincial social worker who is already embroiled in five other cases and a class action lawsuit allegedamning 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 weremainly Aboriginal youth. The complainants say heshepherdedthem intoindependent living situations, but then pocketedtheir benefits and left them to fend for themselves.

He was fired in May 2018.

"The Plaintiff was deprived of those funds andbenefits and his vulnerability to further predation from other sources increased, andthe Plaintiff was exploited due to his vulnerability," said one of the new claims.

• 3 more Indigenous youth accuse B.C. social worker of exploitation

The suits also claim thatB.C.Ministry of Children and Family Development employees were aware of Saunders' misconduct and negligence, butdidn't do enough to prevent it.

Credit union named in claims

In addition, the claims accuse InteriorSavings Credit Union of assistingSaunders to openaccounts with his clients, but failingto advise themthat the accounts were in joint name withSaunders.

The four new claims were filed at B.C. Supreme Court on Wednesday.

CBC is not naming the four new plaintiffs as the events outlined in their claims are alleged to have happened when they were under 19 years of age.

Sex abuse in foster care

In one of them, plaintiff M.I., was placed in foster care at age seven. She accused herfoster parents ofverbal, psychologicaland physicalabuse, calling her "vile names and withholding necessities on an ongoing basis."

M.I also accuses her foster father of sexual abuse.

When she was 13, she was moved out of that family's home and into her grandmother's care. The claim says her grandmother was unprepared and not properly trained by the provinceto adequately care for her and her sisters. Saunders was assigned to the case at this time.

Failed 'to ensure her well-being '

"Saunders failed tomake contact with the Plaintiff, to ascertain her interests, to create or implementannual care plans, to ascertain or meet her need to connect with her culturalheritage, or generally to satisfy his obligations to ensure her well-being and care," reads the claim.

The plaintiffs in the new suits are seeking damages, but alsofinancial, health, therapeutic andeducational support.

The defendants named on the claim have three weeks to respond to them. None of the allegations have been proven in court.

In December, theB.C. Ministry of Children and Family Development admitted to fraud and negligence by Saunders.

• B.C. children's ministry admits negligence and fraud by B.C. social worker
• Province responds to allegations against employee who allegedly siphoned funds from Indigenous youth.

In November, the province outlined steps it took to protect affected children and youth since discovering Saunders may have been abusing his position.