More Victims of the BC Child Welfare system

Savannah Hall's mother raised concerns with foster-care home, inquest told

Last Updated: Wednesday, October 24, 2007 1:12 AM ET
CBC News

The natural mother of Savannah Hall raised red flags about the girl's foster-care home seven months before the three-year-old died in foster care in January 2001, an inquest heard Tuesday.

Hall said she had concerns about bruises to her daughter's face, legs and feet and she was also concerned about hunger when she visited.

This is a photo of Savannah Hall with her mother, Corinna Hall, and her grandmother at a library in happier times. (Courtesy of Corinna Hall)

"She'd be really hungry when I came over," Hall said. "I'd feed her, but the foster mom told me not to feed her."

Corinna Hall was testifying on the second day of a coroner's inquest into Savannah's death in Prince George, B.C.

Savannah died after being taken by her foster parents to hospital in a coma with massive brain swelling, hypothermia and multiple bruises.

Social workers weren't listening to her concerns, Hall alleged.

Hall also testified she was denied opportunities to be with her daughter on special occasions like her birthday and holidays in the months before Savannah died.

Corinna Hall said Tuesday she's determined to find answers into the death of her three-year-old daughter, Savannah. (Betsy Trumpener/CBC)

One Christmas the foster mother cancelled the get-together, saying the girl was ill, while other pre-arranged visits were also cancelled by the foster mother with little or no explanation, Hall said.

During one visit, Savannah said she didn't want to go back to the foster home.
"She held onto me and started crying," Hall said.

Savannah was found unresponsive in her foster-care home in PrinceGeorge and died in B.C. Children's Hospital two days later.

The inquest, which began Monday, is scheduled to continue through Nov. 2.

With files from the Canadian Press.