Fatalities - Children Involved with the Ministry of Children & Family Development
Last updated on December 28, 2023The ministry gathers information to understand trends and outcomes associated with services provided to children and families.
This information is gathered from the ministry's electronic information system and is updated regularly.
The following information shows the number of fatalities of children in care, as well as those receiving other ministry services. Collection of this information has been occurring since 1996. Data collected from 1996 to 2012 is available upon request.
Fatalities of Children/Youth in Care Under the CFCSA - by Calendar Year
| Year | Natural | Accident | Homicide | Suicide | Undeterminedi | Indi- genous |
Non-Indi- genous |
TOTAL | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open | Closed | ||||||||
| 2023iiii | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 7 |
| 2022 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 6 | 16 |
| 2021 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 | ||
| 2020 | 2 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 15 | ||
| 2019 | 5 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 15ii | ||
| 2018 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 13 | ||
| 2017 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 12 | ||
| 2016 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7ii | ||
| 2015 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 11 | ||
| 2014 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 14ii | ||
| 2013 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 9 | ||
Fatalities of Children/Youth Receiving Services (Not In Care) by Calendar Year
| Year | Natural | Accident | Homicide | Suicide | Undetermined |
Indi- |
Non-Indi- genous |
TOTAL | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open | Closed | ||||||||
| 2023iiii | 16 | 11 | 4 | 7 | 8 | 0 | 14 | 32 | 46 |
| 2022 | 56 | 27 | 6 | 6 | 15 | 0 | 42 | 70 | 112ii |
| 2021 | 38 | 28 | 5 | 9 | 7 | 1 | 90ii | ||
| 2020 | 51 | 13 | 2 | 11 | 1 | 6 | 84ii | ||
| 2019 | 52 | 18 | 3 | 11 | 0 | 5 | 91ii | ||
| 2018 | 66iii | 23 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 101ii | ||
| 2017 | 60 | 26 | 7 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 108ii | ||
| 2016 | 62 | 23 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 96ii | ||
| 2015 | 77 | 14 | 4 | 11 | 1 | 4 | 115ii | ||
| 2014 | 38 | 11 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 67ii | ||
| 2013 | 53 | 11 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 8 | 80 | ||
The classifications for 2013-2022 were reviewed/updated by BCCS in December 2023.
i In the “Undetermined” category, “open” indicates a case is still under investigation by the Coroner; “closed” indicates the Coroner’s investigation is complete and due to insufficient evidence or an inability to determine, the death cannot reasonably be classified as natural, accidental, suicide, or homicide.
ii This total includes fatality/fatalities where there is no Coroner classification of death because the fatality occurred outside the province or country.
iii This total includes a child in care under the Adoption Act who received services within 12 months of death.
iiii 2023 information is for January – June 2023 (6 month period).
Information concerning what happens when a child in care of the ministry dies can be found under Accountability.
As of October 2007, the BC Coroner's Service is responsible for the investigation of all child deaths.
The Ministry of Children and Family Development confirms child fatality classifications with the BC Coroner's Service. Classification of death is determined by the BC Coroner’s Service. The classification of a fatality may change as a death is investigated. Where the classification of fatality has changed since the last posting, the statistics are updated with a note.
Data notes: Child and Youth Fatality information may differ between the Ministry of Children and Family Development and the Coroner’s Service due to the timing of updates. While data reconciliation with the Coroner’s Office is currently underway, this information should be considered preliminary.
Classification of Death
NATURAL: Death primarily resulting from a disease of the body and not resulting secondarily from injuries or abnormal environmental factors.
ACCIDENT: Death due to unintentional or unexpected injury. It includes death resulting from complications reasonably attributed to the injury.
SUICIDE: Death resulting from self-inflicted injury, with intent to cause death.
HOMICIDE: Death due to injury intentionally inflicted by the action of another person. Homicide is a neutral term that does not imply fault or blame.
UNDETERMINED: Death which, because of insufficient evidence or inability to otherwise determine, cannot reasonably be classified as natural, accidental, suicide or homicide.