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Suffer Little Children
"She told us that we were kids that nobody cared about...that somebody was paying her to care for a couple of kids that nobody wanted." Dereck O'Brien, testifying at the Hughes Royal Commission of Inquiry, September, 1989.
On September 26, 1989, twenty-nine-year-old Dereck OBrien was called to testify before the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the response of the Newfoundland justice system of complaints of abuse. The horror of Derecks revelations of physical and emotional abuse was magnified exponentially by the knowledge that those authorities responsible for his welfare had twice been made aware of his plight, and had ignored his pleas for help. Determined to purge himself of his unhappy childhood memories and hoping to prevent similar abuse of todays children, OBrien began to write his story. Told in his own simple and compelling words, Suffer Little Children poses the haunting question, why? First banned by the Department of Justice in Newfoundland, t! his book went on to become a Can adian bestseller.
On September 26, 1989, twenty-nine-year-old Dereck OBrien was called to testify before the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the response of the Newfoundland justice system of complaints of abuse. The horror of Derecks revelations of physical and emotional abuse was magnified exponentially by the knowledge that those authorities responsible for his welfare had twice been made aware of his plight, and had ignored his pleas for help. Determined to purge himself of his unhappy childhood memories and hoping to prevent similar abuse of todays children, OBrien began to write his story. Told in his own simple and compelling words, Suffer Little Children poses the haunting question, why? First banned by the Department of Justice in Newfoundland, t! his book went on to become a Can adian bestseller.
167 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 1991
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
June 16, 2026
Such a sad story of hardship for the O’Brien children and those that had to endure the evilness that lurked behind the doors of the Mount Cashel Orphanage. The people in authority that didn’t listen to the pleas of those poor children are just as much to blame as those who did the horrible things to the kids in their care. Thank God for people like Dereck O’Brien who had the guts to keep up the fight.
September 23, 2025
Soooo good, I really loved this, I cant relate to the story but I grew up just around where this took place. I got this book from my grandfather (rip) and it was really interesting to see what it was about and what he used to read.
January 19, 2025
Absolutely heartbreaking story of a boy failed by the foster system.
August 16, 2018
Heartbreaking true story of repeated abuse inflicted on one boy. Highly recommended.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews