Supervision lapse for sexual predator in Kelowna a ‘complete failure’

A convicted sexual predator was supposed to be supervised when an 11-year-old was allegedly cornered and assaulted in a bathroom last month.

Kelowna-Mission MLA Renee Merrifield said it was a "complete and utter failure" when a government agency supervisor sat in his car for more than two hours while the young girl was sexually assaulted.

Taylor Dueck was released from prison for a previous sexual assault and was taking lessons at a Kelowna equestrian facility. The public was not alerted to Dueck's release to Kelowna, despite it being a regular practice by police departments.

Prior to his most recent sexual assault against a young girl, Abbotsford Police Department issued a news release to warn the public Dueck was moving to the area. That was less than two months before the 2020 assault, according to Black Press.

This time, instead of a warning, the "system" prioritized Dueck's privacy over public awareness and safety, Merrifield said during question period in the BC legislature.

Kelowna RCMP has not responded to questions from iNFOnews.ca about the lack of public notice, but the detachment was quoted as saying the "threshold was not met" for public interest disclosure, despite a request by Kelowna RCMP, according to the Vancouver Sun.

Merrifield called for someone to be held responsible for the lapse in supervision that allegedly led to the young girl's assault.

"This 11-year-old girl deserves better," she said. "Our community is traumatized. This 11-year-old old girl is traumatized."

She said Dueck was supposed to be under one-on-one supervision and he was required to be kept away from children. However, children arrived for after school programs when the young girl was cornered and sexually assaulted in the bathroom, Merrifield said.

Solicitor General and Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth said he ordered an investigation around all agencies involved, which will determine whether there was a "systemic" failure or the blame should be placed on an individual.

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