THE WAY I SEE AYN VAN DYK'S CASE

We are all waiting for her return, none more apprehensively than Amie Van Dyk and her ex husband Derek Hoare. They are the parents of Ayn Van Dyk, the twelve-year old autistic child who innocently meandered from her family back yard in 2011. Ayn was ten years old at that time. Even Ayn with imperfect cognitive capability would have reasoned to stay in her own back yard had she known that the consequence would be her removal from her family for over two years.

Amie and Derek have been informed some months ago that they can expect Ayn to be returned to them some time during the month of September 2013.

Ayn was ten years old when she scaled a fence that surrounded the back yard. She was not affecting a prison break. She was not violating a community standard. She was not disrupting anyone’s peace, although she did cost the taxpayer some money because of the urgently placed 911 call from her father summoning the help of RCMP who sent a helicopter into the Abbotsford skies to locate his child. Even Derek with his anxious parental response would have reasoned to summon friends instead of RCMP had he known that the outcome would be the agony of separation from his daughter for most of these past two years.

SO MUCH TIME HAS PASSED

On June 30, 2011 I wrote a piece about Child Welfare in Canada, Abbotsford and then I included reference to a relatively new case, the Ayn Van Dyk case. 

At the time, Ayn had been gone from her daddy’s home for fourteen (14) days.

Now reader, let this sink in please. It has now been 254 days since Ayn was removed from her father Derek Hoare. Eight months have passed.

This ten year old autistic girl has been in hospital for examination but primarily in foster home care all of this time. She and her father have not seen each other for 254 days. That however is because of her father’s principled choice, a choice with which not all readers agree, and certainly one which the Ministry criticizes and retains as evidence of Derek’s lack of cooperation with its care plan. Ayn’s mom Amie Van Dyk has visited her daughter although those visitation rights have been curtailed or delayed at various times by the Ministry for reasons with which I disagree.

My article garnered an enormous response last June 30^th with 27 comments attached now to that blog post. They are highly interesting comments.    

Well, if 254 days seems long, consider this, a court date has been set to hear this case in December 2012 and carrying over into January 2013. Tell me again, the axiomatic premise for child protection. “In the best interests of the child,’ did I hear you say?

DEREK HOARE'S SISTERS SPEAKS OUT FOR HIM / 570

photo: Derek and Moy -  happier times

Derek Hoare's Facebook Page entitled Help Bring Little Autistic Girl Back to her Daddy has acquired a support network of 2536 members within a few days, three more added while I place this blog post online. Everyone is sending Derek's story and related links to their friends. Derek's sisters Moy and Mandy have written both an appeal and a support note below (printed with her permission).

"My name is Moy Harries and Derek Hoare is my younger brother. I am writing this letter in support of my niece, Ayn returning home as soon as possible.

I don’t know a more dedicated and loving parent than my brother, Derek. I would challenge anyone to trade their life for even a day with my brother. He has truly given his life to helping his children’s special needs. Anyone who meets my brother easily sees his deep devotion for his children. I have never once heard Derek complain or wish his life different. In the last 11 years, Derek’s children have continued to thrive, develop and grow despite all odds. Derek has studied, researched and worked hard toward teaching all his children as best able and this is evident in seeing his children today vs. 10 years ago. Derek’s children are bright, funny, happy little souls and I love them all dearly.

DEREK HOARE AND HIS DAUGHTER AYN

Derek Hoare has three children and all three lived with him until ……… Well, wait until you hear this.

Photo by John Van Putten shows Derek with Ayn

Did your child ever go missing for a few minutes, for an hour or so? And were you desperate to find the child. Did you contact the police? And when you found the child weren’t you ecstatic and so grateful? So was Derek. But his joy didn’t last long.

His nine year old daughter Ayn VanDyk, (her mother's surname) was suddenly gone from his backyard at his Mt. Lehman Road home. He had taken numerous precautions for the care of his children. There is a six-foot fence that surrounds his yard. All windows and doors are locked and the doors require a key to exit from the inside. Yet one day recently, Ayn had climbed into her tree house, scaled the wall and disappeared. Derek spent 10 minutes running up and down the street in a rapid search for her and then he called the police who three hours later returned Ayn to her father. She ran to her dad and rapped her arms around him in a tearful embrace. She had been found safe at a pool in the yard of neighbours two house away.

Great! Right? Wrong! Four days later Ministry of Children and Family Development representatives arrived at his home with orders to remove Ayn. Just imagine what that did to this little girl and to this father.