Community mourns six-year-old Poplar River drowning victim

The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs and Southern Chiefs’ Organization are offering condolences following the death of a six-year-old girl in Poplar River First Nation over the weekend.

RCMP say officers responded to a report of a missing child —identified by family members on social media as Veronica Hudson — in the northern community, located about 350 kilometres north of Winnipeg, shortly before 6 a.m. Saturday.

Police said the girl’s father woke up to find the front door open and the child missing from the home. Officers, firefighters, family members and community volunteers immediately began searching the area. As the search expanded, boats were deployed on the water, the First Nation used a drone, and local search-and-rescue volunteers joined the effort.

The child was found at about 10:30 a.m. on the south side of the Nanowin River and was pronounced dead.

“Our hearts are broken for this family and for the entire community of Poplar River,” AMC Grand Chief Kyra Wilson said in a statement Sunday. “No parent, no family, and no Nation should ever have to endure this kind of pain. Today, all of Manitoba First Nations stand with Poplar River in grief.”

The AMC also thanked community members, leadership, firefighters, volunteers and search teams who helped search for the girl.

“In moments like this, we see communities come together with love, urgency, and care for one another,” Wilson said. “We hold everyone affected in our prayers tonight.”

In a social media post Sunday evening, the Southern Chiefs’ Organization said it was “saddened to learn of this devastating loss of life.”

“We send condolences and prayers of comfort to the family, loved ones, and entire Nation of Poplar River as they grieve this tremendous loss,” the organization wrote.

On Monday, the community school also shared a message of support for the family.

“On behalf of all us at the Poplar River First Nation School we are shocked and saddened by the loss of one so young,” the school said in a Facebook post. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to the parents and family of little Veronica Hudson.”

scott.billeck@freepress.mb.ca