East Toronto man files lawsuit against province and others alleging years of abuse while in the child welfare system
By ERIN HORROCKS-POPE
Upper Beach resident Johnathan Stavrou has filed an extensive statement of claim against a number of entities, including the Province of Ontario, the Children’s Aid Society of Toronto, a number of group homes and youth treatment centres.
His lawsuit’s statement of claim filed in December of 2023 with the Ontario Superior Court of Justice alleges he was the victim of physical, psychological and sexual abuse as a child while a ward of the Crown and is seeking $5 million in damages.
None of the allegations in the lawsuit’s statement of claim have been tested in court. A statement of defence has not yet been filed by those named in the lawsuit.
In an interview with Beach Metro Community News recently, Stavrou, 29, said the lawsuit aims to hold the defendants accountable for their alleged negligence and failure to provide a safe and nurturing environment for children under their care and to ensure no other children go through similar experiences.
“We need to address this issue and start overhauling the child welfare system,” said Stavrou, stressing his mission is to see drastic policy change that protects the children still navigating the child system today and in the future.
Stavrou’s lawsuit is being brought forward by Paul Miller of Howie, Sacks & Henry, LLP, a Toronto-based firm.
Miller said his client is incredibly brave, and potentially the “most motivated” client he has ever worked with during his decades of legal experience.
Like Stavrou, Miller told Beach Metro Community News he is confident that the lawsuit will have a positive outcome for his client and is hopeful that this case will add to an overhaul of legislation put in place to protect children from abuse in all instances.
Stavrou’s journey through the child welfare system began at the age of four, when the Children’s Aid Society (CAS) of Toronto opened a file regarding the welfare of Stavrou and his twin brother.
Stavrou’s lawsuit alleges he and his brother’s lives were overwhelmed by neglect, physical abuse, and exposure to domestic violence; trauma which laid the foundation for a turbulent path through the system of child protective services.
Two years after the CAS file regarding the Stavrou brothers was opened, the children were placed into child protective services. Stavrou said that was a profoundly traumatic event that he continues to have vivid memories of more than two decades later.
“It was the end of July, I was only six,” said Stavrou, recounting the day he and his brother were removed from the care of their parents.
“CAS attended our home with police, and there was an instant confrontation…I remember my brother and I screaming when we were carried out and put in the back of a car. The child locks were enabled, so we were stuck in the car and driven away by two women who didn’t talk to us,” he said.
This was the day Stavrou officially became a Crown ward, his welfare being placed in the hands of the province until he reached adulthood.
However, the promised stability and security within the child welfare system was not Stavrou’s experience.
The lawsuit alleges Stavrou endured more than 40 residential placements, each marked by various forms of abuse, discrimination, and mistreatment. In the statement of claim, Stavrou said he experienced multiple instances of alleged physical discipline and isolation, including being confined to solitary spaces and deprived of bathroom access at will by his caretakers.
Additionally, the lawsuit claims he was allegedly confined to a basement for prolonged durations, coerced to engage in outdoor exercises during late hours, and frequently subjected to ridicule and harassment regarding sexual orientation.
“As a child, I naturally gravitated towards other boys, openly discussing my attractions with the people I lived with,” Stavrou told Beach Metro Community News, describing numerous incidents that he faced over the decade he spent as a Crown ward.
“When my voice took on a more feminine quality over time, I became a target for relentless bullying, particularly during my time in group homes. Kids I lived with singled me out, subjecting me to harassment and discrimination based on their assumptions about my sexual orientation,” he said.
Stavrou alleges he was additionally propositioned by several of the adults who were tasked with caring for him to engage with them in “inappropriate relationships,” emphasizing that not only did the adults in his life fail to intervene on his behalf when he was targeted by his fellow residents, they instead directly contributed to his trauma through their own acts of abuse.
According to Stavrou, these alleged incidents of discrimination and abuse not only compounded the trauma he experienced but also underscore systemic oversights when it comes to protecting vulnerable children and youth who rely on the system to protect them.
“I reported these incidents to CAS all the time, but they never did anything,” alleged Stavrou. “They [CAS case workers] just left me to fend for myself until I was moved to another residence.”
Throughout his time in care, and the years following, Stavrou said he has faced significant challenges in maintaining his mental health and well-being. His filed statement of claim describes severe episodes of depression, anxiety, and mental breakdowns, which he attributes to the trauma and instability endured during his formative years.
Despite this, Stavrou persevered and was determination to strive for a brighter future. At the age of 17, he moved out on his own and graduated from high school with honours. He then pursued higher education, studying law before redirecting his career path towards paramedicine in 2018.
While working as a paramedic in Toronto, Stavrou received a call to the East Toronto building where he and his brother once lived with their parents before being taken into CAS custody. Stavrou told Beach Metro Community News his unexpected return to this place, which defined much of his childhood, triggered a rapid decline in his mental health.
Stavrou said his employment was terminated by the City of Toronto shortly after.
“My experience as an adult, particularly within the context of employment, has been that I face incredible disadvantages because of my trauma-related mental health disabilities such as complex post traumatic stress disorder,” said Stavrou, underlining the challenges he has faced and the ongoing struggle to overcome the mistreatment he alleged he experienced during his time in care.
“Often, when I need help the most, I’m judged and treated poorly and this is because people don’t want to understand,” he said.
Stavrou said he is currently involved in legal proceedings against the City of Toronto regarding his termination from his position as a paramedic. He is now working in paramedicine in southwestern Ontario.
“Advocating for my rights against discrimination have become significant aspects of my professional life, a direct response to the discrimination I have faced throughout my life,” Stavrou told Beach Metro Community News, emphasizing his commitment to self-advocacy and the advocacy of others encountering alleged discrimination in the workplace, particularly concerning disabilities or trauma.
In the years since leaving provincial care, Stavrou said he has sought extensive mental health intervention to address the trauma-based injuries he sustained during his time as a Crown ward.
While lawsuits against large bodies such as the Crown can face significant challenges, Stavrou said he and his legal team are steadfast in pursuing justice for himself and other youth.
Miller said he hopes the case will lead to societal change and impact the decisions made regarding the protection of children. However, based on his experience of more than 25 years he noted that it’s rare for one single case to have such a significant impact and he emphasized the necessity of widespread public outcry for substantial change to occur.
“I am always going to be hopeful that we can affect change through these types of cases,” said Miller.
“The abuse that goes on when it comes to children doesn’t seem to change, and that’s really unfortunate, but we can’t stop trying. I think the problem is that politics is so complicated and even for those who may have the best of intentions, in politics everything is negotiated, so how is change ever going to happen?”
Acknowledging the challenges ahead, Stavrou and his legal team are optimistic the outcome of his lawsuit case can serve as a catalyst for change and prevent future abuses.
“When this case is successful, I can bring my experiences to the legislature, where politicians will be unable to deny that what happened to me, and is happening to other kids, is wrong,” Stavrou told Beach Metro Community News, emphasizing his strong belief that there is urgent need for policy reform.
He said this should be a matter of significant public policy concern, as taxpayers in Ontario are funding a system that has allegedly allowed such abuse towards children to occur.
