Katelynn Angel Sampson
October 24, 2000 - August 4, 2008
People described Katelynn as a happy go lucky girl who
was always laughing and wore a beautiful smile and ready to start school
as a third grader. People would be shocked when on August 4, 2008, Donna
Irving called 911 to report that Katelynn was choking and when police arrived,
they found Katelynn was already dead.
"She was a beautiful girl she had a beautiful
smile,
she didn't deserve to die"
Marlena Pilon
"I just remember her always smiling and being
happy"
Jennifer States a cousin of Katelynn
"Very innocent. She didn't have to go that
way"
Beverly Walker
"Usually, yeah, I feel safe in Parkdale. But
there's definitely some bad things that happen in
Parkdale. It's awful that somebody's life
gets taken at seven years old, that's just a wasted life."
Aaron Fogelman
After finding that Katelynn was already dead, police
noticed that her body contained obvious signs of trauma. Homicide detectives
were called and Katelynn's guardian, Donna Irving was arrested and charged
with second degree murder.
"It is probably the worst thing I've seen in
20 years of policing, the worst. I can't give you the
specifics, just that she was assaulted throughout
her entire body. It's the work of the devil,
really is what it is"
Homicide Detective Sergeant Steve Ryan
Bernice had a boyfriend and two children of their
own. Police believe that just before the 911 call, Warren Johnson took
the two boys and left the home. Warren would later face charges in the
death of Katelynn.
Rumors say that Katelynn was absent from school quite
often at the end of her second grade year. The Toronto School Board has
what is called a "safe arrival policy" that says parents should be notified
when a student is absent from school without a notice from a parent or
a guardian. When student is absent, school policy is for a secretary
or other staff member to call and find out why.
If a parent or guardian is not reached or if the
child can't be found or if foul play is suspected, the Principal has to
make a decision if further action should be taken, according to the policy.
As stated in the Child And Family Services Act, teachers and school administrators
are required to report any suspected harm or abuse of any student by an
adult, to the Children's Aid Society. If this policy is not followed, a
fine of $1,000. can be given.
The Director of policy for the Children's Aid Societies,
Virgian Rowden said that the public should also be aware that they have
a legal obligation to report any suspected child abuse to the authorities.
“You don’t have to know, but if you have a
suspicion, you have to report”
An autopsy, which took two days due to the kind and
extend of injury to Katelynn's body would show that she had many injuries
that had taken place over a length of time.
Bernice Sampson needed time to sort out her life
when she decided to ask a friend to help her by becoming the guardian of
her child. In January of 2008, Bernice allowed Donna Irving to take custody
of her seven year old daughter, Katelynn. At that time, she wasn't aware
that Donna had a police record which included a history of convictions
for violent crimes. Without knowing the history of the woman she called
friend, she sent her daughter to live with her and would end up regretting
it.
At the first three custody hearings, Bernice told
Judge Debra Paulseth that she could no longer take care of her daughter,
due to personal problems and wanted to transfer custody of Katelynn to
Donna Irving while she worked them out. Bernice said that she and Donna
had been friends for almost 15 years and that she trusted her. When the
judge asked if Donna would have help taking care of Katelynn, Bernice said
that she would have help from her partner and that she trusted him as well,
that there were no problems with either of them.
Without checking into the background of either Donna
Irving or her partner, Warren Johnson, the judge gave them custody of Katelynn.
No questions were asked of them as for how they were going to take care
of her financially or medically. If a check had been done on her, they
would have found that Donna had convictions not ONLY for
violence, but, prostitution and drugs as well.
As soon as she found out that her daughter had died,
Bernice went over to the apartment:
"I want to go upstairs. I need her, I need
to see her."
The family of Bernice and some of her friends, had
to restrain her and let her know that he apartment had been sealed for
an investigation to take place.
"Her mother, she loved her child. She loved
her child. Things happen in life but she loved her child."
Beverly Walker
On August 4, 2008, Donna Irving was in court for
the first time to faces charges of murdering Katelynn. Spectators were
upset and emotions ran high:
"You'll still rot in jail"
Things got so out of hand that the Judge had to threaten
to clear the court room if the crowd didn't settle down. Bernice watched
as the Judge remanded Donna to custody to await her next hearing. As she
left the courtroom, she was surrounded by family and friends.
Vickie Alexander and Bernice Sampson outside of the
court house where Donna has just appeared before a Judge for the fist time
since murdering Katelynn:
"I want to kill her, but what can I do?"
Bernice Sampson
On August 6, 2008, Warren Johnson was arrested and
charged with second degree murder. Police had announced they were looking
for him and just shortly after that, he was arrested. Police were not sure
of when he had left the home the day that Katelynn had died:
"It's our belief that just prior to, or just
shortly after the 911 call was made, he took the boys and left"
Sgt. Steve Ryan - Homicide
Steve Ryan said that Warren had not been totally
honest with them when he was questioned after the arrest of Donna Irving.
Steve also put out a plea to the public for anyone who had know Katelynn
since May of 2007 and knew of any previous abuse, to come forward. He said
that he had been given a lot of third party information and that he needed
to hear the information from those who actually knew or had seen the abuse
or marks:
"I don't care who they are. If they have information,
no matter how insignificant it may seem,
it could be important to us"
Steve Ryan said that the condition of Katelynn's
body was"
"probably the worst thing I've seen in 20 years
of policing, the worst."
As he entered and as he left the court room, Warren
was not given kind messages from the spectators in the room who shouted
at him:
"It should be first-degree murder. You know
you
planned it."
"murderer" "child murderer" "rot
in hell"
Warren's only response to them was to give them the
finger.
On January 8, 2009, Bernice was given a break by
the courts on the drug charges she had been facing. The court ruled that
instead of doing jail time for her charges, Bernice would be given a four
month, conditional discharge. Bernice had been charged with trafficking
when she set up a drug deal between a drug dealer and an undercover
Police Officer. Corbin Cawkell, her lawyer, said
that if she had been convicted on that charge, Katelynn would have been
sent into the system under the car of the Children's Aid Society.
The decision to give up custody of Katelynn was based
on the charges she was facing and the hope that after she was able to get
her life back on track, she could get custody back. Under the terms of
her release, Bernice will do four months of community service.
About four months after Katelynn died, Chris Bentley,
the Attorney General said that he wanted to take steps to be sure that
this kind of thing will never happen again. New legislation was introduced
that would change the way custody cases would, in Ontario. Background checks
into the history of those applying for custody would be done
and would be given to the judge in every case. All
information about the person or persons trying to get custody, including
any and all police records would be made available. That included prior
court proceedings as well as information the Children's Aid Society files.
"I think that any time a child dies under
these circumstances, we as a community, as a society,
have something to learn."
An inquest would have to wait for the case to go
to trial and be resolved and though that could take years, Irwin said:
"The little girl's death should not leave the
public eye. We can't allow it to leave our memory"
In December of 2008, a complaint that had been filed
by NDP justice critic Peter Kormos saying that due to the lack of questions
asked in the proceedings that allowed Donna to take custody of Katelynn,
the best interest of the child was not considered, was dismissed. Court
documents were brought up siting that there had been little if any questioning
about the people seeking custody of Katelynn, Donna and Warren.
The Ontario Judicial Council dismissed the complaint
that was filed against Justice Debra Paulseth after investigating the claim,
it was dismissed at "the earliest opportunity" without any response being
necessary from the judge.
Katelynn was laid to rest on August 12, 2008. Her
family and friends were there to tell her goodbye.
Click
here to view memorial pictures.
Click below to see a memorial for Katelynn and to
view memorials for other children.
For information about preventing child abuse in the
Canada, click the links below. If they can't help you, ask for someone
who can. NEVER give up looking for help for an abused child!
Call this number
to report child abuse ANY WHERE in the United States!
1-800-4-A-Child
1-800-422-4453
   
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My sincerest appreciation goes out to
Diane Trembly for allowing me to use one
of her beautiful Angels to make the graphics
for this set. Please visit her site,
by clicking the link below, to see all
of her amazing work.
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