My Name is Quinn, Hear Me Scream

This isn't a regular petition, this is a scream for help for a 13 year old boy. 

Quinn is now 13, but he has spent the last 8 years in a constant state of uncertainty and neglect. 

Since kindergarden, he has not completed a full school year, missing almost two thirds of his education every year. The family he lived with, his mother, sister, brother and 6 year old neice, have never known stability. In the fall they would start school, with the promise of being able to learn and make new friends, as all children should. 

Time and time again, their mother couldn't drive them to school, due to no gas in the truck, or it being broken down. In the spring, when the snow melted, they would be kicked out of their home, and they would live out of the camper section of their horse trailer on a piece of land, with no running water, no electricity, and only food that was non-perishable that could be cooked over a fire. This pattern went on for years. 

Our father would make this known to CFS, they would investigate, and deem it a "temporary situation", and do nothing more. She would then skip town again, moving further and further from our father, in an attempt to ostrasize him, and to skip CFS juistictions, so the dots could not be formed. This happened every year, for the last 8 years. 

Finally, at the age of 13, Quinn had enough. In September of 2024, he was moved outside of a village in Saskatechwan, on a piece of land only accessable from a rutted out mud road attached to a fire access road. Again, living in the horse trailer, with no water, no food, and no electricty. After dinner, he took his two dogs, and started down the train tracks towards home. Dad's home. 

We reluctantly got a phonecall from his mother that he was "missing", as it was the weekend he was supposed to go to our dads. At 10 pm, we got in the truck and drove 6 hours from Selkirk, to the little village in Saskatchewan. By the time we arrived at 4am Saskatchewan time, he had been missing for 9-10 hours. The family was reluctant to give us the address, it was clear they did not want us there. We had recieved the location of the search by the RCMP of that area. 

We searched for hours on horseback, quads, ATV's, with police drones and infared scanning before first responders the next town over spotted him walking in the farmers fields, 21 km away. He was brought back to the property in the back of a police car. I offered to take his dogs to take them home, as we were told he was being placed with us by the RCMP, and CFS was to investigate, again. On the way home he made a comment I will never unhear: "I'm most excited for a hot shower. I haven't had a bath in almost two weeks."

Since then, his mother has moved, again. Stating CFS cleared her. We have heard no such thing. They told us it was not their problem. She would not sign off on him attending school at his fathers, disregarding his begging to go to school. He is now frustrated, and angry. He begs her to stop fighting, to let him go to school, to make friends, and live a normal life. He has expressed his distrust to her situation, and that he does not feel she can provide him with the stability he needs. And still she refuses. 

To my knowledge, she is currently under the investigation of SPCA for animal neglect, with a very real potential for a heavy fine and/or jail. This speaks volumes to her ability to care for living creatures, let alone children. 

In March 2025, he has gone to the nearest school, and self-advocated, with the law literally in his hands. Begging for his right to be heard, and to go to the school he wishes to attend. And still, they refuse, because our father does not have "Care and Control". 

My father has gone to court, to fight for custody of my brother, spending over $20,000 in legal fees, to be told: " He can go to school, return him to his mother."

We refuse to return him to an unsafe and neglectful home. He wants to be here, and he's screamed this loud and clear. But no one will listen. 

I am asking, as his sister and as Quinns voice, for the people who hear this story to stand up, advocate for a teenagers right to be heard, and to advocate for what is right. 

By signing this petition, you are acting as a voice on behalf of Quinn Camren Johnston, that he has a right to be treated fairly (Article 2 Rights of Children GOC), he has a right to live and develop in a healthy way (Article 6 Rights of Children GOC), and to have the right to say what he thinks should happen, and have his opinion taken into account (Article 12 Rights of Children GOC). 

Katherine Johnston    Contact the author of the petition