Alex Gervais's death: Family disappointed by Christy Clark's quick dismissal of public inquiry

The family of Alex Gervais, who died last month while in provincial care, is disappointed the B.C. government will not call a public inquiry into his death, and pledges to keep pushing for answers.

Gervais, 18, was left alone in an Abbotsford, B.C., hotel for three months, before he fell or jumped from a fourth-floor window on Sept. 18.

In an open letter Monday, Gervais's family in Quebec called on the government to conduct an "arm's length" inquiry into what happened, unsatisfied with the current review underway.

But yesterday, Premier Christy Clark said there will be no independent or public inquiry into the boy's death, because the provincial director of child welfare is already reviewing the case, which will be faster, she said.

"It is most regrettable that the Premier has dismissed our request so quickly," the family wrote to CBC News.

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"Our question to the premier is a simple one ... 'what if this had been YOUR child? Would you be so quick to dismiss?"

The family wrote that it plans to keep "Alex's fate alive and in the forefront," despite the tendency of cases like this to fade from public discussion after a short time.