B.C. parents seek changes after daughter, 13, dies of overdose in homeless encampment

Parents of B.C, teen who died of suspected overdose in homeless camp are advocating for changes to law governing involuntary treatment

Published Sep 12, 2024  •  4 minute read

The overdose-reversal drug Narcan. Photo by Matt Rourke /THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

The family of 13-year-old Brianna MacDonald is urging changes to treatment for addicts who are minors. MacDonald is thought to have died from an overdose last month in an Abbotsford, B.C. homeless camp.

Her grieving parents say their ongoing attempts to get Brianna help for her addictions and mental health issues were ignored. They say the system failed Brianna when she was discharged from a care facility despite repeated requests from them to keep her there and administer treatment.

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Brianna’s mother, Sarah MacDonald, says her daughter started smoking pot at just 10-and-a-half years old. And by age 12, Brianna was using a drug known as “molly” or ecstasy, which is often thought to be a purer form of MDMA, a lab-made drug. Users can experience euphoric highs and hallucinogenic effects. In high doses, says the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, it can potentially lead to a sharp increase in body temperature and result in liver, kidney or cardiovascular system failure, swelling of the brain, and even death.

“I think a lot of the reasons she was doing the drugs was the mental health problems she was having, and she was trying to drown them with drugs,” Brianna’s mother is quoted by CTV News.

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The family alleges that despite her age, Brianna was able to obtain Fraser Health drug paraphernalia including needles, naloxone kits and pamphlets on how to use safely. Fraser Health is the largest regional health authority in B.C.

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Instead of that paraphernalia, says the family, they wanted Fraser Health to provide Brianna with treatment.

Brianna’s mother says her daughter was hospitalized for a suspected overdose in February. She was first at the BC Children’s Hospital and then transferred to a child psychiatric ward at Surrey Memorial.

The parents say they begged the hospital not to let Briana leave. They wanted her held involuntarily so she could receive help.

“I mean, I begged them and so did her dad…We said she’s not mentally capable. She was sticking pencils through her hand when she was in the psych ward there,” her mother told CTV News.

However, they were told Brianna had the right to decide herself, despite being just 12 years old at the time, and she was discharged.

Since parents have legal responsibility for their children, they should have the legal right to ensure their children receive care, says Brianna’s father, Jesse Griffith: “The parents have to be able to mandate that the kids stay (in a care facility).”

The family says Brianna eventually became violent at home and her mother Sarah said she had to be treated in hospital. With other children at home, Sarah said she couldn’t have Brianna there if she was using drugs.

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She was sticking pencils through her hand when she was in the psych ward

Instead, Brianna was placed in a youth centre in Abbotsford. But she ran away and ended up in a homeless camp, which has since been dismantled.

She died inside her tent, say her parents.

Abbotsford Police responded to a call to assist B.C. emergency services on Aug. 23 at approximately 3 a.m., says media relations officer, Cst. Artur Stele. Despite best efforts made at the scene “the female succumbed,” he told National Post.

Brianna’s body was taken to “the coroner’s office whose autopsy may reveal findings specific to the cause of death,” says Stele.

The area where Brianna was found “is known to have a presence of unhoused individuals” but police couldn’t confirm whether the overdose occurred within the encampment or close by. How Brianna obtained the drug paraphernalia is unknown to the police.

Despite Brianna’s difficulties, Sarah says they texted or spoke every day. Sarah also visited Brianna in the camp.

The family is now calling on the B.C. government to change the regulations to support involuntary treatment when requested by parents and to do more to protect children like Brianna.

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Fraser Health said in a statement to CTV that it is reviewing the care provided to Brianna.

“We believe it is crucial to honour her memory by carefully examining what happened, learning from this tragedy, and working together to ensure that such a heartbreaking loss doesn’t happen again.”

Fraser Health also said medical intervention and decisions involving the treatment of young addicts with mental health challenges are made by healthcare providers and guided by consent rules under the B.C. Infants Act.

Fraser Health also said that their records indicate only Narcan was provided to the family for Brianna. Also known as Naloxone, the medication can reverse an opioid overdose.

The ongoing overdose crisis in B.C. is confirmed by statistics released by the provincial coroner service. Early this year, the service said toxic, unregulated drugs claimed the lives of at least 2,511 people in British Columbia in 2023, the largest number of drug-related deaths ever reported. That equates to an average of 6.9 deaths a day and is 5% more than the previous high of 2,383 deaths recorded in 2022.

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“Tragically, toxic, illicit drugs are continuing to cause unprecedented numbers of deaths across our province,” said Lisa Lapointe, chief coroner in a January statement. “We cannot bring our deceased loved ones back, but we can and must do much more to protect the lives of tens of thousands of our family members, friends and colleagues still at risk.”

Laura Lee Csurdi, a friend of Brianna’s family, has set up a GoFundMe page to help with funeral expenses. The aim is to raise $10K. To date over $3,000 has been raised.

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