Updated | Care order for two siblings of Nigerian girl found dead

Family minister Michael Falzon has been advised to confirm a care order issued in respect of the two siblings of the seven-year-old Nigerian girl who was found dead at a home owned by the Dominican Sisters on Sunday.

This in essence means that the care of the girl's siblings will be placed in the hands of the state.

Replying to a parliamentary question by PN MP Beppe Fenech Adami for an update on the case, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat explained that the care order had arrived on Falzon’s desk after the death of the girl, and the social workers concerned had advised him to sign the order.

Muscat was replying to the question instead of Falzon, who is currently abroad.

The Prime Minister said that he did not know whether the process for the care order had started before the death of the child, but he could only confirm that it had reached Falzon ‘post facto’.

The girl's family had been in Malta for a number of years, Muscat elaborated, adding that they had not been living in a state institution, as had been incorrectly reported by government media.

He said that he was informed that persons in the Nigerian community in Malta had spoken to the responsible authorities to convey their concerns on some of the “traits” which the family concerned had been demonstrating, and had encouraged the issuing of a care order.

“At this point I do not have information which excludes foul play, however I have not received anything to say that a crime has been committed,” Muscat maintained.

Asked by PN whip Robert Cutajar whether there was any truth to rumours that the child had not been attending school, the Prime Minister said that he could not confirm at this time whether that was true, but that it was in everyone’s interest that such information came out as soon as possible, once the investigative process progressed.

Muscat was also unable to give information on the role which the Dominican Sisters’ home had, if any, in looking after the family.

Contacted earlier, the Dominican Sisters would not comment on specific questions, claiming that they did not deal with the family directly and had nothing to do with the case.

From what MaltaToday gathered, the family was living independently in the residence offered to them by the Sisters, and not directly under their care.

Read more:

Authorities mum on death of girl at Dominican Sisters’ home

The family ministry said in a press statement this evening that it had started an independent investigation, lead by former magistrate Philip Sciberras, in order to establish all the facts of the case.

This will take place along with the magisterial inquiry which is already ongoing.

“The investigation will take place although there had previously never been any care orders for the minors in the family concerned, and despite Aġenzija Appoġġ not having been responsible for the residence in which the family was living,” the ministry said.

“The ministry also notes that, in the last few hours, a care order was issued in relation to the girl’s siblings. This is being done so that there be a detailed investigation by the Child Protection Service, and so that a plan for the care of the minors be drawn up,”