Police investigation urged for Home for Coloured Children

A Halifax lawyer wants police to investigate allegations of abuse at the Nova Scotia Home for Coloured Children near Dartmouth. Ray Wagner represents ten former residents who have officially registered their intent to sue the Westphal home, and he says there could be more.

The home was founded 80 years ago to care for African-Nova Scotian orphans. Today, it shelters homeless kids from a range of ethnic backgrounds.

Wagner says he's been gathering interviews to bolster the lawsuits, and from what he's heard, he thinks the police should be listening too.

"They should be investigating the activities at the home," Wagner said. "It's a moving target, but there's more people coming as we speak we're already in the range of 20-30 residents."

Wagner says damage claims will easily surpass a $1 million and he says he'll file four more statements of intent with the court Friday.

School president Mike Mansfield says no one currently on staff was around during the periods of the alleged abuse.