The mother of an Indigenous child said she was scared to learn that her infant son had suffered a broken right femur while in the care of the Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital in Saskatoon.
Teelay Soosay said she went to visit seven-month-old Tobias in the hospital on April 7, to discover he had a full-leg cast.
“When I walked in, his leg was covered up. I uncovered him to pick them up, just to find out he had a a whole leg cast and it scared me,” explained Teelay.
The young mother from the Samson Cree Nation in Alberta, said a doctor informed her that health staff x-rayed Tobias earlier in the day, as he had discoloration in his leg. She explained the doctor confirmed the right leg had a slight break, but she was not informed as to how that happened.
The family has retained legal counsel. “The health system failed this Indigenous infant boy and we need to protect our most vulnerable. We need to ensure that he is protected and receives proper care,” said family lawyer Kelly Wuttunee.
First Nations leaders are calling for a complete and transparent investigation into what caused Tobias’s leg to break. “A child doesn’t just break his leg by accident or by sitting in a crib. We have to determine what exactly took place. This can’t be covered up. Too often we’ve seen as First Nations people are dealing with incidents that happen within the healthcare system as well as within the justice system, and they’re swept under the rug,” Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations Vice-Chief David Pratt said.
The Saskatchewan Health Authority said in a statement it would not comment specifically about the case, citing patient privacy.
“I should feel as though my baby is safe in a hospital as he is treated, but now I live in fear. I just want an answer. What happened to my baby,” asked Teelay?
(Screenshot of Teelay Soosay on the left of podium with a white sweater and mask on.)