Surrey parents sue school district and health authority, alleging cultural negligence in their Indigenous daughter’s 2023 suicide and seeking systemic reform.
Tragedy Sparks Legal Action for Change
School and Health System Accused of Cultural Oversight
In early August 2025, Laura and David Donovan of South Surrey launched a lawsuit in B.C. Supreme Court alleging that Surrey Schools and Fraser Health failed to act with cultural sensitivity and coordination in the weeks before their 16-year-old daughter, Felicity Donovan, died by suicide in December 2023.
Missed Intervention for At-Risk Teen
Felicity, a Grade 11 student at Elgin Park Secondary, had recently disclosed both a previous suicide attempt and a plan to harm herself, alongside feelings of cultural isolation, to a school counsellor. Despite weekly contact with Fraser Health’s START mental-health program beginning October 2023, she was left without support when a therapy session was canceled in mid-December—only days before her death. The parents allege this lack of timely, culturally safe response amounts to systemic negligence.
Emotional Toll and Broader Implications
This case extends beyond a tragic personal loss. The Donovans assert they were “stonewalled” in attempts to uncover what went wrong, prompting them to seek truth and accountability through the courts. They express deep concern that other Indigenous students may have faced similar gaps in care—before or since their daughter’s passing.
What the Lawsuit Asks For
The notice of claim, filed August 12, 2025, demands damages—including aggravated, punitive, and Charter remedies—but also seeks non-monetary outcomes: a formal apology, Indigenous-led mental health and suicide-prevention training for relevant staff, full public accounting of what happened, and systemic reforms to protect all students, especially Indigenous youth.
Evidence and Legal Status
The Donovans plan to present internal emails, documents, and reports as evidence, and have launched a website outlining the path to their legal action. As of Thursday morning, August 14, 2025, neither institution had been officially served with court documents. Both Surrey Schools and Fraser Health have declined to comment publicly, citing ongoing legal proceedings.
