Family of Canadian boy with autism killed in murder-suicide received $450,000 in aid

From CBC News in Canada:

An Alberta cabinet minister defended herself Oct. 7 against accusations she breached confidentiality rules by revealing $450,000 was spent helping the family of an autistic boy before he died in a recent murder-suicide.

Children and Youth Services Minister Janis Tarchuk revealed the information in a story published Oct. 5 in the Edmonton Journal.

Karen Phillips, program director with the Autism Society of Edmonton, said the family was shocked Tarchuk released that information.

"The family sees this as confidential information," she said. "They don't understand how it could be interpreted as public information, and I think that's something the family plans to follow up."

The bodies of the boy, 11, and his father, 39, were found by police in a home in northeast Edmonton on Sept. 27, after police received a call from the man’s common-law wife.

Police are not releasing the names of the deceased to protect the privacy of their family. They will also not release the cause of death.

What has been released is a rough accounting of the health services offered to the family.

Tarchuk said she thought the information "would add some value to the debate that was out there, and demonstrate that we were trying to assist and that supports were available."

Tarchuk said she reviewed privacy legislation to ensure she wasn't saying anything improper. "The intent was never to harm anybody," she said.

The minister said she knows her comments have upset the boy's family, adding she will contact them privately to explain her decision to reveal the funding details.