3 Children Hospitalized After Drug Use at Shelter, Minister Demands Answers

At the Oiseau du Paradis shelter in Cap-Malheureux, three children were taken to the SSRN hospital on Sunday 1st June evening after being found in a drugged state. The children, placed at the shelter, appeared to be under the influence of illegal substances.

Arianne Navarre-Marie, Minister for Gender Equality and Family Well-Being, spoke firmly on Monday morning following the incident.

She expressed her anger and sadness, calling the situation “regrettable” and a “direct result of institutional negligence.”

The minister criticized the adults responsible for the safety of the children, highlighting lapses in overnight supervision at the shelter.

She revealed that she had previously requested an investigation into the behavior of some youths and how easily they could leave the shelter at night to go into nearby areas.

Concerns had also been raised about possible drug use among some children.

Navarre-Marie accused the National Children’s Council (NCC) of being too lax in managing the case, which she says contributed to the current situation.

Although the full medical report is not yet available, she stated that the affected children were clearly in a concerning condition by Sunday evening.

Given the seriousness of the matter, she decided, in consultation with the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, to immediately suspend all staff working the Sunday night shift.

An internal investigation was launched on Wednesday, led by Permanent Secretary Daniel Labonne. The investigation team has already begun its work.

The minister warned that anyone unwilling to cooperate or who has behaved irresponsibly will be required to explain themselves to the inquiry.

She reaffirmed that the ministry’s priority remains the protection of vulnerable children and will not tolerate behaviors that endanger their lives.

Source: Le Mauricien