Saugus father ‘disgusted’ by judge, DSS

SAUGUS – Saugus resident Eric Fraser said in an interview the justice system and DSS has failed his 8-year-old son, Jeremy, who will likely die as a result of its inaction against the boy’s neglectful mother.Kristen Labrie, 36, was charged with reckless endangerment of a child by the Essex County District Attorney’s Office for repeatedly denying Jeremy his cancer medication and failing to take him to at least four chemotherapy treatments.She allegedly rescheduled 13 other chemo appointments.Charges were filed after the boy’s doctor, Dr. Allison Friedman of Mass. General Hospital, contacted authorities.Fraser, 36, who lives on Evans Street, says his son went into remission with an 85 to 90 percent survival rate before Labrie, his ex-wife, stopped giving the boy his medicine. Now, his cancer has returned with a vengeance and he only has a 10 to 20 percent chance of survival.Prosecutor Kate MacDougall reportedly said at Labrie’s arraignment in Salem District Court that Jeremy might not live to see his ninth birthday, which is on Aug. 2.In October 2006, Jeremy was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, according to his father, who now has full custody of his son. The boy also suffers from Autism.Fraser cites the courts’ leniency toward mothers over fathers in custody proceedings, as well as granting Labrie restraining orders for bogus reasons in addition to failures by the Department of Social Services as reasons for his current circumstance.He blasted Judge Michael Uhlarik for releasing Labrie on personal recognizance at her arraignment.”I’m kind of disgusted that the judge let her go on her own personal recognizance. I’m pretty upset with the justice system,” Fraser said. “I consider this attempted murder.”Labrie pleaded innocent in court before prosecutors requested she be held on $1,000 cash bail with weekly appointments with a probation officer.Uhalrik ignored the prosecution’s requests but ordered Labrie to stay away and have no contact with Jeremy.”If he was the grandson of that judge, would it be a different outcome?” Fraser asked.Defense attorney Kevin James told the Associated Press that Labrie has taken Jeremy to Mass. General over 100 times for cancer treatments and has been “extensively involved in the child’s care.”He said prosecutors have “a very weak case.”Fraser says DSS never contacted him about neglect allegations and hasn’t heard from anyone at the agency since November 2003.”My son relies on her and she fails to do her duties,” Fraser said. “It’s basically killing my kid.”He said doctors were appalled after seeing the condition of his son following missed appointments.”The doctor was actually shocked to see him back because he was (previously) in remission,” Fraser said. “That set him back almost five months right there.”Fraser says his concern increased in February when Salem police found Jeremy wandering alone in town and couldn’t contact Labrie for 45 minutes.”I think she’s mentally ill,” Fraser said.Labrie had been living in Salem but recently moved to Beverly. Authorities initially couldn’t find her after doctors reported the neglect.An arrest warrant was issued by the district attorney’s office after police couldn’t locate Labrie, Fraser said.Fraser says he believes Labrie is a flight risk and shouldn’t have been let out of court without any bail imposed.”She has a history of defaults and not showing up. It’s kind of disgusting,” he said.Fraser is also upset because two of Labrie’s family members recently told him they suspected she was not giving Jeremy his medicine.He said her polite demeanor works to her advantage since most people didn’t suspect she was neglecting her terminally ill son.”I want to let people know what this woman is actually all about. She dresses well, she’s played victim,” Fraser said. “She’s a sociopath.””She basically gets whatever she wants. I feel like the system has just failed, from DSS to the court systems. It’s been ugly for six years.”Fraser was interviewed by numerous medi