Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Part Two: Collateral Damage; Dr. Charles Smith's Forgotten Victims;

The "collateral damage" caused within families by Dr. Charles Smith has been vividly captured by Toronto Star reporter Theresa Boyle, in a story, published on March 9, 2008, that focuses on "The 'forgotten victims' torn from their homes."

The most recent posting of this Blog presented Boyle's account of the assault launched on Sherry Sherret's family by the local Children's Aid Society following Dr. Smith's flawed opinion.

Today we continue with Boyle's report on the collateral damage caused within Brenda Waudby's family based on an email which Boyle received from Brenda Waudby's daughter Justine, who in now eighteen years old.

The story ran on March 9, 2008, under the heading, "Justine: 'I really want to not be afraid of the world."

"In an email exchange, Justine Traynor, now 18, recounted how her life was thrown into chaos the night her baby sister, Jenna, died in 1997," Boyles's story began.

"Then 7, Justine was apprehended by children's aid and spent most of the next 2 1/2 years in foster care," it continued.

"Her mother, Brenda Waudby, was charged with second-degree murder, largely on the mistaken evidence of disgraced pathologist Dr. Charles Smith.

Waudby gave birth to a son in May 1999 and he was immediately apprehended.

The baby was returned to her almost a year later under a supervision order.

The charge against Waudby was withdrawn in 1999 and a 14-year-old male babysitter later pled guilty to manslaughter.

"That night I can remember waking up to emergency personnel outside of the house and my mom standing at the door. They would not allow me to talk to my mom.

I screamed, "Where the hell is my sister?" No one replied. I was just put into a CAS worker's car. ...

"I would see my mom once, and sometimes, twice a week, Mondays and Wednesdays.

I was very confused and I missed my mom so much.

I do remember the woman who took me to see my mom.

We used to sing songs together after (the) visits to help settle me down from missing my mom.

I was so upset and confused that when I was actually able to come home I can remember ... that I said that I wanted to kill myself.

So I mean, yes, of course this has had an impact in and on my life.

"I did have to change schools, obviously homes, and I had to make new friends.

I was mostly just really confused, and I just wanted to go home to my mom. ... I had already lost my sister to a tragic event and then I lose my mom.

I really didn't understand what was happening ... It was hard to focus on school or care about friends ... when I just felt sad, scared, and confused for most of the time.

I know it sounds silly, but even having a different kind of food, having different clothing or a different way to be tucked into bed can make a big difference to a kid.

"I do dream about being a normal person, probably too much of the time.

I do not feel comfortable around people my own age because nobody is like me.

Nobody has been through the things I have been through, the way I have been through them.

"I am trying to not be angry or scared anymore but it is very hard, especially the scared part.

I am working with someone now every week to learn more about myself and how to build confidence.

I avoid most social situations but I really, really wish I could be more like everyone else and not have these problems or issues in my life.

I hope that I can one day know that this just made me who I am.

But when I really don't like that person so much – that's not the best feeling.

I really want mostly to not be afraid of the world.

I spend a lot of time alone and am working hard now to make friends and it's hard. Going to school is hard. Doing anything normal feels hard.

I really want to feel confident and to trust people but right now I just can't.

"Again, yes I think it has had a huge impact on me.

But I can't let that stop me from living my life. I mean I am 18 and I have no friends, really, and it is extremely hard for me to trust anyone."


Harold Levy...hlevy15@gmail.com;