Family sues Hamilton, Ont. school board after 5-year-old girl loses part of finger in alleged bullying incident
The mother of a five-year-old girl is suing her daughter’s school board after she was allegedly bullied so badly she was left with a partially amputated finger from an incident in the washroom.
Sjanita-Marie Harrison said Tuesday she is taking the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB) to court over a number of alleged failings on the school’s part to protect her daughter.
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
“I’m upset. It’s been a long six months. I want my self back, I want my daughter’s finger back,” Harrison said at a news conference in Hamilton.
Harrison said her then four-year-old daughter, Autymn-Rose, was in a washroom at Prince of Wales Elementary School in November 2022 when a student slammed the door on her hand and partially severed her right ring finger.
She said as a result of the incident, her daughter’s finger was crushed and she was placed in an ambulance unaccompanied by school personnel.
Harrison’s lawsuit against the HWDSB alleges that the board, at a systemic level, did not act in a reasonable manner to prevent the incident and said the negligence regarding bullying and student safety left her daughter physically disfigured and emotionally damaged.
Autymn-Rose Harrison, 5, is seen in this undated image. (Supplied)
Harrison is calling on the school board to provide immediate health support and compensation for harm experienced and the termination of staff and executive members who she alleges “failed to uphold student safety and accountability with respect to the incident in question.”
“I’d like to be able to take her to play basketball and do the things that she used to be able to do. I’d like her to go back to school. She hasn’t been back in school since,” Harrison said.
A spokesperson for the HWDSB called the incident “terrible” and told CTV News Toronto that the board was sorry for the incident.
“We want to express our compassion to the family and to the student for the injury that was sustained and we're taking in their feedback,” Shawn McKillop said.
Autymn-Rose Harrison's mother, Sjanita-Marie, speaks at a news conference on Mar. 28, 2023.
“We have been in contact with the mother and we continue to have conversations with her. No one wants to go through an injury like this at a school, but when it happens, we are prepared.”
McKillop addressed the allegations that Harrison’s daughter was forced to travel in an ambulance to hospital alone, and said there are procedures in place for incidents like this that staff members follow “the best we can.”
“I want parents to know when their children are in our care we are doing everything we can do support that child.”
A very shy Autymn-Rose, who turned five-years-old on Tuesday, was at the news conference and briefly addressed the reporters in attendance by saying, “Thank you for helping me, love you guys.”
Harrison said she has since relocated her family following the incident due to the emotional toll it’s taken on them.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
O'Toole says CSIS told him he was focus of Chinese misinformation, suppression effort
Conservative MP Erin O'Toole says Canada's spy agency has told him he was the target of Chinese interference intended to to discredit him and promote false narratives about his policies while party leader.
U.S. officer shoots at truck driver near N.B. border crossing
Traffic is back up and running through the border crossing between Woodstock, N.B., and Houlton, Maine, after a security scare Monday.
LIVE NOW
LIVE NOW | Priest charged in sexual assault of 8-year-old girl on Manitoba First Nation
Manitoba RCMP have arrested a priest from a First Nation community who is accused of sexually assaulting an 8-year-old girl, and believe there may be more victims.
Liberals still have faith in David Johnston's work on foreign meddling: House leader
Government House leader Mark Holland says the federal Liberals still have faith in the man they appointed to investigate the issue of foreign interference in Canadian elections.
Toronto Blue Jays player shares anti-LGBTQ2S+ video telling people why they should boycott Target
Toronto Blue Jays relief pitcher Anthony Bass has garnered social media attention once again after sharing an anti-LGBTQ2S+ video on his Instagram.
Federal politicians congratulate Alberta's Danielle Smith on election win
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is congratulating Alberta Premier Danielle Smith on her election win, after she called out his 'harmful' energy policies in her victory speech.
Early estimates indicate 200 structures damaged in Halifax-area wildfire
Approximately 200 homes or structures have been damaged by the wildfire that began burning Sunday in the Upper Tantallon, N.S., area, according to preliminary estimates.
Top AI CEOs, experts raise 'risk of extinction' from AI
Top artificial intelligence executives including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman on Tuesday joined experts and professors in raising the 'risk of extinction from AI,' which they urged policymakers to equate at par with risks posed by pandemics and nuclear war.
Danielle Smith's UCP holds onto power in Alberta
Danielle Smith is still the premier of Alberta, surviving a vigorous campaign and a tight vote Monday against NDP challenger Rachel Notley.
Montreal
-
Driver who crashed into Montreal bus shelter dies in hospital
The driver of the vehicle that crashed into a Montreal bus shelter on Friday has died. Montreal police (SPVM) confirmed on Tuesday that the 21-year-old driver, who was in critical condition, succumbed to his injuries.
-
Montreal is spending $30 million to expand and improve bike paths
The City of Montreal announced Tuesday that it would develop over four dozen projects aimed at expanding and improving the metropolis's bike path network. The 53 projects estimated to cost $30 million will develop and upgrade 59.1 kilometres in the cycling network, spanning 14 boroughs and four other municipalities, the city said in a news release.
-
Here's which ten roads have been named the worst in Quebec
Of all the poorly marked, pothole-laden places to drive in Quebec, ten have cracked an annual list of the province's worst roads, and none are in Montreal. According to CAA-Quebec, about 5,800 road users submitted their votes between April 12 and May 8, 2023.
London
-
Devastating double loss: Community in mourning as OPP officer and respected school bus driver killed in crash
Messages of support continue to come in following the death of an OPP officer and a school bus driver. Both were killed in a crash when their vehicles collided at Oxford Road 33 and Highway 59 northwest of Woodstock.
-
Possible match found for 'Babs' the dog
Babs the dog may have found her forever home after a London couple brought her home Monday night for a trial stay.
-
Votes are counted: Ontario Health Coalition reveals results from informal health care survey
The Ontario Health Coalition said more than 382,000 people voted in their informal survey. For the past six weeks they’ve been asking Ontarians to vote in person or online on whether they want public hospital services to be privatized to for-profit hospitals and clinics.
Kitchener
-
Four-way stop planned for intersection where bus driver and OPP officer killed
The rural Oxford County intersection where an OPP officer and a school bus driver were killed Monday was less than a month away from becoming a four-way stop when the deadly crash happened.
-
Devastating double loss: Community in mourning as OPP officer and respected school bus driver killed in crash
Messages of support continue to come in following the death of an OPP officer and a school bus driver. Both were killed in a crash when their vehicles collided at Oxford Road 33 and Highway 59 northwest of Woodstock.
-
SIU investigating after man shot by Brantford police officer
Ontario’s police watchdog is investigating after a Brantford police officer shot a 27-year-old man.
Northern Ontario
-
9 active wildfires in northeastern Ontario, highway reopened
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) is reporting nine active wildfires in northeastern Ontario on Monday.
-
Ontario mayor wants to change 'O Canada' lyrics
Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie hopes the city will support calling on the federal government to change the lyrics of “O Canada.”
-
State of emergency in northern Ontario lakeside community due to rising water levels
Mitch and Donna Bujold moved to their Nellie Lake lot in 2018 for the lakefront view and access to the water, but in recent weeks, it seems the lake has been keen on accessing their property too.
Ottawa
-
Shopify faces class action over severance offered to recently laid off staff
A class-action lawsuit alleges Shopify Inc. reneged on a deal it offered some employees who were laid off in a recent round of cuts.
-
Carling Avenue still the worst road in Ottawa according to annual poll
Despite efforts from the city of Ottawa to make repairs, Carling Avenue reigns supreme as the worst road in Ottawa, and one of the worst in Ontario.
-
Firefighters battle roof fire overnight in Metcalfe
Ottawa firefighters encountered a challenging fire in Metcalfe overnight.
Windsor
-
OPP officer from Lakeshore mourned by hockey community
Members of the Belle River hockey community say they are in ‘complete disbelief’ over the death of OPP officer with ties to the region.
-
Man arrested after knife-point robbery of senior at bus stop
Windsor police have arrested a 64-year-old man after a knife-point robbery of senior at bus stop.
-
Anonymous tip leads to arrest of downtown theft suspect
The Windsor police say an anonymous tip led to the arrest of a 34-year-old man in connection with a theft downtown.
Barrie
-
Vehicle fire shuts down part of highway 400
Traffic came to a stop on Highway 400 Tuesday afternoon after a U-Haul van caught fire.
-
These Simcoe County streets are listed as the worst in Central Ontario
Five Simcoe County roads ranked as the worst in Central Ontario in the annual CAA's Worst Roads campaign.
-
'Serious incident' in the Town of the Blue Mountains 'resolved peacefully:' OPP
Provincial police say a "serious incident" in the Town of the Blue Mountains has "resolved peacefully."
Atlantic
-
Early estimates indicate 200 structures damaged in Halifax-area wildfire
Approximately 200 homes or structures have been damaged by the wildfire that began burning Sunday in the Upper Tantallon, N.S., area, according to preliminary estimates.
-
Some Halifax residents say they received confusing communication amid wildfire
As wildfires grew and traveled through the suburban area northwest of Halifax, some of the 16,000 evacuated residents say they received confusing advice about what to do.
-
Shelburne County wildfire still out-of-control, grows to over 10,000 hectares
An out-of-control wildfire in Nova Scotia’s Shelburne County has grown to more than 10,300 hectares.
Calgary
-
Even with majority, UCP's Copping, Nixon and Milliken lose seats in Calgary
Danielle Smith's United Conservative Party won the election last night but the Alberta NDP made some inroads in Calgary, the city where most of the month-long campaign was fought.
-
Danielle Smith's UCP holds onto power in Alberta
Danielle Smith is still the premier of Alberta, surviving a vigorous campaign and a tight vote Monday against NDP challenger Rachel Notley.
-
Calgary police launch phone line for sex trade workers to report assaults, abuse
Calgary police have a new way for sex workers to report violence and other safety concerns.
Winnipeg
-
LIVE NOW
LIVE NOW | Priest charged in sexual assault of 8-year-old girl on Manitoba First Nation
Manitoba RCMP have arrested a priest from a First Nation community who is accused of sexually assaulting an 8-year-old girl, and believe there may be more victims.
-
Man fatally stabbed on Burrows Avenue; homicide unit investigating
A 22-year-old man has died following an early morning stabbing in Winnipeg on Tuesday.
-
Violent crime in Winnipeg reaches highest level in 13 years: report
The number of crimes in Winnipeg increased by more than 25 per cent in 2022, which includes a record number of homicides, a spike in the use of bear spray as a weapon, and an uptick in property crimes.
Vancouver
-
Resource crisis at Surrey hospital leads to 1 newborn death and countless near misses: frontline workers
A group of women’s health providers at Surrey Memorial Hospital is the latest working on the frontline to raise alarms about British Columbia’s deteriorating healthcare system.
-
Dozens of firefighters battling out-of-control blaze near Sayward, B.C.
Fifty-five firefighters have descended on the northern Vancouver Island village of Sayward, where an out-of-control wildfire exploded in size Monday night, becoming the largest fire of the season for British Columbia's coastal region.
-
Widow of West Vancouver man who drowned trying to save dog describes desperate struggle in the water
The widow of a man who died trying to save a dog from drowning in West Vancouver is remembering her husband as a brave man with endless compassion.
Edmonton
-
23 additional charges laid in series of carjackings, crashes in Edmonton
The man who allegedly caused a number of crashes and committed violent carjackings in Edmonton earlier this month is facing an additional 23 charges.
-
Danielle Smith's UCP holds onto power in Alberta
Danielle Smith is still the premier of Alberta, surviving a vigorous campaign and a tight vote Monday against NDP challenger Rachel Notley.
-
NDP dominates Edmonton as UCP wins Alberta election
The NDP has been elected or leads in all Edmonton ridings early Tuesday morning after the UCP won a majority government in Alberta late Monday night.