A former child and family services manager testified Tuesday that Phoenix Sinclair’s file was mishandled by workers.

Darlene MacDonald, formerly a program manager with CFS, told the Phoenix Sinclair inquiry in Winnipeg that workers did not do what she would have expected of them on Phoenix’s file.

The inquiry is examining the circumstances surrounding the death of five-year-old Phoenix. She was killed in 2005 on Fisher River First Nation. Her mother, Samantha Kematch, and her mother’s boyfriend, Karl McKay, were convicted of first-degree murder in her death.

Phoenix spent much of her short life in the care of several child and family services agencies before she was beaten to death. Her death went undetected by workers for nine months.

MacDonald is now at the top of Manitoba’s children’s advocate office, but while Phoenix Sinclair was in the system between 2000 and 2004, MacDonald held a number of high-ranking positions with CFS.

Phoenix’s file was closed seven times during her short life.

“I'm surprised if there's a lot of history in the case, it wouldn't have remained open,” said MacDonald.

MacDonald said based on the family’s lengthy history with CFS, she would have expected the file to be transferred to family services.

"[It] looked like they didn't have many supports in place, and I would have expected it be open long-term in family services," said MacDonald.

MacDonald testified that one worker should have been assigned to the family to develop a relationship with them.

She did not know why the agency didn’t open the girl’s file for a long-term investigation, but speculated that high turnover and a massive restructuring of the agency could be to blame.

"Because of all the massive changes that were going on, there was an awful lot of turnover in staff that may reflect in the fact that there were so many workers involved in this case," said MacDonald.

MacDonald said it was especially inappropriate for staff to close Phoenix’s file in March 2005 without having seen her.

“The child should have been seen,” said MacDonald, adding that best practices were not being followed.

No child welfare workers disciplined

Despite testimony suggesting Phoenix’s file was mishandled, no child welfare workers were disciplined following the death of Phoenix, according to a former CEO of Child and Family Services in Winnipeg.

Jay Rodgers testified Monday about what happened after the death of five-year-old Phoenix was discovered.

Rodgers said to his knowledge, no social workers were disciplined or censured for their work on Phoenix’s file.

He also testified no one was ordered to take additional training because of their work on the case.

Controversial witness

Macdonald is a controversial witness at the Phoenix Sinclair inquiry.

She came under fire for comments she made in June 2012, criticizing the amount of money being spent on the Phoenix Sinclair Inquiry.

A First Nation leader and the province’s Liberal leader called for MacDonald’s resignation after she told the Winnipeg Free Press she thought the estimated $4.7 million being spent on the Phoenix Sinclair Inquiry could be better spent elsewhere in Manitoba’s child welfare system.

MacDonald later backed away from her statement and said she was trying to emphasize the work her office did.

The children’s advocate office has been involved in two reviews of CFS and had made about 200 recommendations to improve the system before the Phoenix Sinclair Inquiry got underway.