GRANBY, Que. -- A funeral is underway east of Montreal for a seven-year-old girl whose death has outraged the Quebec public and prompted an investigation into the province's youth protection system. The ceremony began at around 11 a.m. as several dozen family and friends accompanied a child-sized wooden coffin into the packed St-Eugene Church. Inside the 78-year-old building, some of the stuffed animals that had been left in the wake of the girl's death were perched in front of the ornate stained-glass windows. The young girl died in hospital April 30, one day after police found her at a home in the city about 80 kilometres east of Montreal. Two adults -- identified by people close to the family as the girl's father and his partner -- were charged with unlawful confinement. The partner was also charged with aggravated assault. The Quebec government has ordered a public coroner's inquest into the death of the girl, whose case had been known to youth protection services for several years prior to her death.<doc-sep>Quebec's minister in charge of youth protection has asked for an investigation into the death of a seven-year-old girl in Granby by the local health authority and the province's Human Rights Commission. Lionel Carmant said the child had a file with the province's youth protection system (DPJ) and that the last time it intervened in her case was in April. Earlier in the day, Carmant said he's outraged by the circumstances surrounding her death. "We are going to make every effort to make sure this doesn't happen again," he said. Carmant said there are "clearly" cracks in the province's youth protection system. He said he wants to look into whether waiting lists at the agency that serves the area played a role in what he called a tragic story. Local police found the girl in critical condition at a home in Granby on Monday. She was taken to hospital, where she was in a coma until she died on Tuesday. Quebec provincial police have taken over the criminal investigation into the girl's death. Her father, 30, has been charged with forcible confinement, and her stepmother, 35, has been charged with forcible confinement and aggravated assault. They are expected back in court Thursday and may face more charges now that the girl has died. CBC News is not naming the two suspects, nor the seven-year-old victim, for legal reasons. Grandmother calls for public inquiry The girl's grandmother — who CBC is not naming either to protect the girl's identity — says she fought for custody of the victim for years. A Radio-Canada reporter speaks with the grandmother of the seven-year-old girl who died in Granby. CBC is not naming the grandmother to protect the girl's identity. (Radio-Canada) "We fought tooth and nail, hours upon hours, we built up a file," she said in an interview with Radio-Canada. "It's been years — since 2015 — that we've been fighting against the DPJ to get her out of there." The woman says the DPJ told her they wouldn't remove the girl from her father's house because she was already under too much stress, and that it would be an extra strain on her. Following the girl's death, she wants the government to launch a public inquiry into the entire youth protection system in Quebec. "It's more than time for a clean-up at the DPJ. There can be no more cases like this; it can't happen again," she said. "I hope she didn't die for nothing." Police sources told Radio-Canada the girl had knocked on a neighbour's door overnight Sunday before she was found in critical condition by police Monday at around noon. Don't jump to conclusions, agency says Alain Trudel, the director of youth protection for the Eastern Townships, which covers Granby, said he is not free to say whether his agency is involved in the case. The agency's privacy policy prohibits it from divulging any details about individual cases. There are about 400 cases in the region waiting to be evaluated, he said — a number that should be no more than 40 to 50. The situation is the same across Quebec, Trudel said. However, he cautioned against pointing to the length of the waiting list or the lack of resources for youth protection workers as possible explanations for the girl's death. He said removing a child from the family home is a last resort and happens only in circumstances where the child faces a real and imminent danger. Stuffed animals and flowers have been left outside the home where the girl lived in Granby, Que. (Brigitte Marcoux/Radio-Canada) The pros of removing the child from the home have to be weighed against the impact it may have on that child, he explained. Trudel said he would co-operate with an inquest if one is called. Neighbours are dropping off flowers and stuffed animals outside the home where the girl lived. Radio-Canada learned that the girl attended a Granby elementary school until she was recently pulled out to be home-schooled.<doc-sep>A funeral home has offered to hold the service at no charge. Article content A funeral will be held on Thursday for a seven-year-old girl whose death last week rocked the province and prompted the Quebec government to order a public coroner’s inquest. Local police found the girl apparently tied up and in critical condition inside a home in Granby, about 80 kilometres east of Montreal, on Monday of last week. She died a day later in hospital. We apologize, but this video has failed to load. tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Funeral on Thursday for seven-year-old Granby girl Back to video Two adults — identified by people close to the family as the girl’s father and his partner — were arrested before the child died. The man was charged with unlawful confinement, while the woman was charged with unlawful confinement and aggravated assault. A funeral home in Granby has offered to hold the service at no charge. A visitation open to family and those close to the family will be held on Wednesday afternoon and evening, while a religious funeral service will be held on Thursday, the Association of Families of Persons Assassinated or Disappeared announced on Tuesday.<doc-sep>The priest who presided over the funeral of a seven-year-old girl whose death sparked a provincewide conversation about flaws in Quebec's youth protection system says he wanted to make sure the service focused on the girl herself. "It will not be an occasion to point fingers or to criticize, but for the little one," Rev. Serge Pelletier said before Thursday morning's funeral. "We will focus on her, knowing full well that questions will continue to be asked." The girl died last week, a day after she was found by police in critical condition in her father's home in Granby, Que., about 80 kilometres east of Montreal. She was taken to hospital, where she was in a coma until she died. Her father and stepmother have been charged with forcible confinement. The stepmother faces an additional charge of aggravated assault. Their identities are subject to a publication ban to protect the child's identity. The Quebec government ordered a coroner's inquest into the death of the girl, who had a long history of involvement with the youth protection system. Pelletier said he called for a peaceful and subdued atmosphere. "We've agreed with the family to give a particular tone to the ceremony," Pelletier said. "We're going to pray together to help with the grieving process and to honour this little girl." Family members and people from across the province made their way to the 600-seat Saint-Eugène Church in Granby. Representatives from the regional health board were also in attendance. Some of those present wiped away tears as the family entered the church along with the tiny casket. Stuffed animals were placed around the church in honour of the little girl. (Ivanoh Demers/Radio-Canada) A colourful collection of stuffed animals lined the sills of the church's stained glass windows. Pink and yellow flowers were placed near the altar. During the service, which lasted about an hour, the girl's mother and grandmother read a poem together. The mother struggled to keep going, choking back tears. Friends of the family and relatives also sang several songs dedicated to the little girl. Pelletier asked those in attendance to take home one of the stuffed animals and share them with a child in their lives. He said that is how the girl's memory will live on. As Pelletier prayed for comfort, and for all children in the world who are suffering and in need, many wiped away tears. At one point, a woman had to walk out, overwhelmed by emotion. The funeral lasted about an hour. Family members sang songs the little girl had loved. (Martin Bilodeau/Radio-Canada) Calls for better child protection Darlene Ryan, a spokesperson for a Quebec association representing the families of missing and murdered persons, spoke on the family's behalf after the funeral. She said they are exhausted and overwhelmed. While today's service focused on honouring the little girl, the association is asking for several concrete actions to prevent this from happening again, including the creation of a youth ombudsperson in Quebec and an independent roundtable inquiry. "There were a lot of alarms," Ryan said. "Someone didn't do their job." At Quebec's National Assembly, the Liberals called on Premier François Legault to follow through on comments he made last week about launching another inquiry stemming from the child's death — he had suggested a commission similar to Dying with Dignity. Hélène David, the Official Opposition critic for social services, said she wants Legault to elaborate on his plans. "He needs to commit himself in the next few days, and to say, 'I took a few days to think, and this is what I'm going to do,'" David said. She went on to suggest any new initiative be named "Growing up with Dignity."<doc-sep>
Send this page to someone via email The funeral for the seven-year-old girl that died in tragic circumstances last week in the Eastern Townships town of Granby was held on Thursday at Saint-Eugène Church, about 80 kilometres east of Montreal. The ceremony began at around 11 a.m. as several dozen family and friends accompanied a child-sized wooden coffin into the packed Saint-Eugène Church. READ MORE: Quebec social workers decry working conditions following death of 7-year-old Granby girl The parish announced that the church was open to the public and that the mass, celebrated by priest Serge Pelletier of the Notre-Dame parish, would be transmitted live in the basement in the event that the church fills up. Several of the stuffed animals that were placed in front of the house where the young victim died on April 29 were retrieved and displayed at the church. Story continues below advertisement WATCH: Death of 7-year-old girl prompts public coroner’s inquest 1:50 Death of 7-year-old girl prompts public coroner’s inquest Death of 7-year-old girl prompts public coroner’s inquest – May 2, 2019 A visitation was held on Wednesday at a funeral home on Pie IX Boulevard in Granby, where hundreds of people gathered to pay their respects. The seven-year-old was found in critical condition on Monday, April 29, in the Granby home where she lived with her father and stepmother. She was transported to the hospital where she later died. READ MORE: Quebec announces public coroner’s inquest into 7-year-old girl’s death Two adults — the girl’s father, 30, and his partner, 35 — appeared in court last week. They both face charges of unlawful confinement, and the woman has been charged with aggravated assault. Both will remain detained at least until their next court appearance on May 23. Story continues below advertisement Quebec has ordered a coroner’s public inquiry into the tragic death. — With files from Global News’ Shakti Langlois-Ortega