Nelson House mourns after three boys killed on highway

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This article was published 29/04/2018 (2874 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

About 100 mourners gathered at a community hall in Nelson House Sunday morning as emergency response workers returned the bodies of three boys who were struck and killed on a road just north of the reserve back to this closely knit community.

The three had been out walking with three other kids when they were hit by a car that was heading south just after 10:30 p.m. Saturday.

“Their lives hadn’t even begun. We’re devastated with shock in the community,” said Marcel Moody, chief of Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation, on Sunday.

Moody identified the three boys, who were close friends, as Mateo Spence, 11, Terrence Spence, 11 and Keithan Lobster, 13. The two boys were walking by the side of the highway and Lobster was on his bike when they were killed.

Moody said friends and families of the three boys gathered with emergency medical crews and Mounties for prayers and a smudging ceremony at about 2 a.m.

Hours earlier, RCMP were called to the horrific scene on the road, which connects to the highway to Thompson, which is about an hour’s drive east of the community.

RCMP said Sunday the driver was charged with multiple offences, including impaired driving.

RCMP said the driver, a 27-year-old man from Nelson House, fled the scene but turned himself in around midnight. He met with RCMP in the parking lot of the local detachment about 90 minutes after the collision.

“He was arrested without incident as officers were leaving to search for him, and he is facing numerous impaired driving related charges as well as fleeing the scene of an accident and other criminal offences,” RCMP Sgt. Paul Manaigre told reporters in Winnipeg.

“It’s tragic. These are young boys out; spring time is just arriving. One’s on his bike and two are walking. That’s how they get around in the community: walk or on bikes. They’ve got friends. They’re out and about. It’s 10:30. It’s not relatively late. They want to have fun on a Saturday night and here we have, I don’t know how many times we’ve had the message ‘Don’t drink and drive’ and here we have a gentleman (that) we’ve determined was driving under the influence of alcohol,” Manaigre said.

“The three of them were struck, and none of them survived. I would imagine now that the community is in shock, angry that this happened,” he said.

Police have determined there were four passengers in the car that struck the kids. They chased after the driver on foot and returned to the car when Mounties arrived, to report what they’d witnessed.

“Within an hour and a half, he (the driver) turned himself into us. He knew we were looking for him, and the community was angry.” Manaigre said. “The community is searching for answers, and we’re working hard to get that for them.”

A forensic reconstructionist was sent to the community to help investigators.

The chief said the three victims and three other kids were chumming around Saturday evening. The three who weren’t struck all witnessed the death of their friends.

“The other kids who were with them… weren’t hurt, but they were traumatized,” the chief said.

The chief added it was primarily the family of the driver who encouraged him to turn himself in to police.

On Sunday, the community was planning a vigil for the boys, and leaders were meeting with local officials to plan counselling services for both teachers and students when school starts Monday morning.

“This has a huge impact on the community. They were friends just out for the evening,” the chief said, adding he knew them well because they were close friends of his grandchildren. “It’s awful, really tragic. They were always at my place every day, with my grandchildren, when they came home from school. We haven’t had the heart to tell my grandchildren yet about this. They’re in Winnipeg at their father’s this weekend,” he said.

Moody said news of the tragedy spread quickly on social media and throughout the north in a matter of hours. Indigenous leaders called the chief Sunday to offer their support and condolences.

“It’s gone viral,” the chief said. “We’ve had overwhelming support,” Moody said.

The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs tweeted condolences on behalf of Grand Chief Arlen Dumas and assembly members.

Perry Bellegarde, national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, also sent condolences to members of the Cree First Nation.

“My heart goes out to the Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation and the families of three young boys tragically killed last night while out for a bike ride. Extending love and support to all who knew them,” Bellegarde wrote on Twitter.

Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister posted his thoughts on Twitter: “Our hearts go out to the families of three young boys who left us far too soon. To the entire community of Nelson House and NCN, we mourn this heartbreaking loss with you.”

Nelson House, which has 4,600 members, is 850 kilometres north of Winnipeg.