CALGARY -- When Alexandru Radita moved to Alberta from British Columbia with his family in 2008, he virtually disappeared until his death from starvation and untreated diabetes five years later, court heard Friday.
Health and education officials testified that Alexandru barely made a blip in his new province.
An education official testified that the department had no record of Alexandru except for registration as part of an online school in 2009.
There was no sign that he attended any school after that date.
Court has been told that Alexandru weighed just 37 pounds, was wearing a diaper, had ulcers all over his body and was little more than skin and bones when he died a few months after his 15th birthday in 2013.
Emil Radita, 59, and his wife Rodica, 53, have pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder in their son's death.
Alexandru had been in foster care for about a year in B.C. after an investigation determined he was starving and not being treated for his diabetes -- a diagnosis witnesses have said his parents refused to accept.
He was returned to his family in 2005 and was under the supervision of Child and Family Services, but the Raditas left the province without leaving a forwarding address. Alex's file was closed.
Cardell Musyj, principal of School of Hope and Vermilion Home Schooling, said Alexandru and his siblings were enrolled in an online, home-schooling program in October 2009.
He said there was one home visit by the teacher assigned to the family and that Alexandru read very well at grade level.
But several attempts to contact the family over the next eight months failed and no work was ever submitted, Musyj said.
"We would send this letter out indicating work has not been submitted ... and so we would be withdrawing the student from the school, because it's clear our school and our program is not meeting the learning needs of the child," he said.
An Alberta Health official testified the teen did have a health-care card, but didn't visit a doctor from 2009 to 2013.
"For Alexandru, the record shows there were no services paid by Alberta Health on his behalf," said spokeswoman Tracey Chalmers.
Under cross-examination, she acknowledged she didn't know whether Alexandru had visited either a chiropractor or a naturopath, since those services are not covered.
A pharmacist said the family purchased almost $1,600 worth of insulin and diabetic supplies in 2009 and $3,033 in 2010. But the number dropped to $109 in 2012 and no supplies were purchased in 2013.
