Newly released document shines more light on death of Manitoba girl

WINNIPEG – A newly released document says a Manitoba girl killed by her mother might have been made a permanent ward of the state if social workers had kept tabs on her.

An internal review by Winnipeg Child and Family Services says social workers failed to monitor Phoenix Sinclair and her parents for much of the girl’s short life.

The review says if social workers kept an eye on the family, they could have ensured that the parents improved their parenting skills or removed Phoenix permanently.

The review was done in 2006 and only portions of it were previously released at the ongoing public inquiry into Phoenix’s death.

The full review, along with two other reviews of Phoenix’s case, have now been made public.

Phoenix spent much of her life in foster care or with family friends, and was beaten to death by her mother and mother’s boyfriend in 2005.