St. Albert RCMP has laid sexual assault charges against an 71-year-old man in connection with an assault on two pre-teen girls who were living in foster care.
The two girls were living in foster care and spent a weekend in mid-February at a respite home where the elderly man lived when the alleged assault occurred.
The elderly man is facing two charges each of sexual assault, sexual exploitation, and sexual interference.
Const. Janice Schoepp said this abuse came to light after the children returned to their regular foster home after the weekend stay at the respite home.
"When the foster parents came back it was disclosed to them and they contacted children and family services," she said. "The foster mother reported it to children and family services."
Trevor Coulombe, a spokesperson for Alberta Children and Youth Services, said the department was aware of this case and they always become involved in such instances when abuse is reported.
"Whenever there is a child in foster care who is abused, hurt, neglected or assaulted we are informed," he said. "It would be mandatory for us to be informed."
Coulombe said the department also works closely with law enforcement to make sure they are aware of such cases.
Respite homes are part of the foster care system and are meant to provide short-term placements for children in the system.
"Respite care is for foster parents, who just like any parents, might need a break sometimes," said Coulombe.
He said the province has approved respite care homes they can offer to foster parents, but in some cases a respite home might just be a family member or friend where the foster parents place children for a few days.
The elderly man made his first court appearance on Monday in St. Albert and the charges were put over until April 26.
The court imposed a publication ban on anything that might identify the two young girls. The Gazette also is not publishing the name of the accused in order to protect the girls' identities. He is not related to them.
Morinville case
There is still no update in the case of a Morinville toddler who died while in foster care earlier this month.
The 21-month-old girl was rushed to hospital in early March from a Morinville area foster home, where she had been for about two months.
Two days later the toddler died at the Stollery Children's Hospital and the medical examiner declared her death a homicide the next day.
