"Waudby was wrongly charged with murdering her 21-month-old daughter Jenna in 1999.
That charge was dropped, shortly after Waudby pleaded guilty to a charge of child abuse.
She's now fighting to appeal that conviction. Her application, filed with the court, takes issue with the practices of the CAS and its heavy involvement in the police investigation against her."
REPORTER SARAH DEETH: PETERBOROUGH EXAMINER;
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PUBLISHER'S NOTE: It is clear from the evidence called at the Goudge inquiry that Brenda Waudby - an utterly innocent individual who's baby daughter had been murdered by her babysitter - had been required to plead guilty to a charge of child abuse under provincial legislation before the Crown would withdraw the the second-degree murder charge on the basis of medical opinions which showed she could not possibly have committed the crime. It is also clear that Dr. Charles Smith's opinion that there were injuries which preceded the attack on Baby Jenna - which led to her being wrongfully charged with murder - was also the basis for the provincial charge, along with what the police claimed to be a confession. Instead of receiving the sympathy and compassion she deserved as a grieving mother whose baby daughter had been murdered, Ms. Waudby, a grieving mother, was herself charged with the horrific crime and not surprisingly became a pariah in her community. Brenda Waudby has been given a raw deal by Ontario's criminal justice system. We can only hope that the Court will strike the plea that she felt compelled to make in the circumstances, allow her to call the fresh evidence which she says clears her of this offence, and go the rest of the distance necessary to fully clear her name.
HAROLD LEVY; PUBLISHER; THE CHARLES SMITH BLOG.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"A rally taking aim at the practices and accountability of the Children's Aid Society takes place Thursday and features Brenda Waudby as a guest speaker," the Peterborough Examiner story by reporter Sarah Deeth published earlier today under the heading, "Group protesting at CAS offices Thursday," begins.
"The protest runs from noon to 3 p.m. outside the Kawartha- Haliburton Children's Aid Society's office on Chemong Rd," the story continues.
"Waudby was wrongly charged with murdering her 21-month-old daughter Jenna in 1999.
That charge was dropped, shortly after Waudby pleaded guilty to a charge of child abuse.
She's now fighting to appeal that conviction. Her application, filed with the court, takes issue with the practices of the CAS and its heavy involvement in the police investigation against her.
Neil Haskett, one of the rally's organizers, said similar events are taking place Thursday across Ontario.
Part of the goal is alert the public to the lack of accountability within the CAS, he said.
Too often innocent people are charged or face legal challenges through the CAS, he said, and there's virtually no way for parents to fight back.
"It's a systematic issue with all Children's Aid Societies," he said.
Though many similar protests have taken place across Ontario in the past, this is the first one to be held in Peterborough.
Haskett said the goal isn't to shut down the CAS.
But many aren't aware that Ontario is the only province that doesn't allow its Ombudsman to investigate complaints brought against the CAS, he said.
In addition to Waudby's speech, organizers will hand out information and speak to anyone who wants to listen, he said.
Haskett said hundreds of people stopped by for information at a similar rally in Sudbury."
The story can be found at:
http://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2908359
PUBLISHER'S NOTE: The Toronto Star, my previous employer for more than twenty incredible years, has put considerable effort into exposing the harm caused by Dr. Charles Smith and his protectors - and into pushing for reform of Ontario's forensic pediatric pathology system. The Star has a "topic" section which focuses on recent stories related to Dr. Charles Smith. It can be accessed at:
http://www.thestar.com/topic/charlessmith
For a breakdown of some of the cases, issues and controversies this Blog is currently following, please turn to:
http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=120008354894645705&postID=8369513443994476774
Harold Levy: Publisher; The Charles Smith Blog; hlevy15@gmail.com;
