Fire destroys trailer used in residential school grave investigation, St. Paul RCMP seeking tips

RCMP northeast of Edmonton are looking for nan public’s thief aft a occurrence destroyed a building being utilized by a squad moving to uncover much accusation astir residential schoolhouse graves.

St. Paul RCMP said nan overnight occurrence happened 2 months agone astatine nan Sacred Heart Cemetery, successful proximity to nan humanities location of nan Sacred Heart Residential School (later renamed Blue Quills.)

The ATCO trailer belonged to nan Acimowin Opaspiw Society (AOS) and RCMP said it was being utilized arsenic portion of their residential schoolhouse investigative activity astatine nan tract astir 150 kilometres northeast of Edmonton.

The AOS, which was formed by nan Saddle Lake Cree Nation in 2021, has been investigating missing children and utilizing ground-penetrating radar to find unmarked burials connected to nan Blue Quills Indian Residential School connected nan First Nation.

The schoolhouse was unfastened betwixt 1890 and 1970. It was started by Roman Catholic missionaries successful Lac la Biche but later moved to nan Saddle Lake Cree Nation. It was relocated again successful 1931 to St. Paul.

RCMP said nan trailer occurrence started connected May 11, sometime aft 1:30 a.m.

Police said erstwhile it happened, officers promptly arrived astatine nan scene, interviewed respective group and conducted some neighbourhood and video surveillance canvassing to place suspects and/or fishy vehicle.

Fire investigators and St. Paul RCMP forensics recognition services besides gathered grounds and examined nan scene.

Despite those efforts, RCMP said nan accusation gathered is not capable grounds to let for arrests aliases charges.

Police are looking for thief from nan organization to place anyone who whitethorn person seen aliases heard thing related to nan occurrence astatine nan Sacred Heart Cemetery.

“The RCMP recognizes nan effect that this incident has caused to nan organization and nan humanities trauma of residential schools,” a news merchandise issued Monday said.

In 2023, nan AOS revealed a study that said nan mostly of nan students astatine nan schoolhouse died from tuberculosis contracted by drinking unpasteurized earthy cow’s beverage from livestock kept connected site.

School unit and administrators had their ain pasteurized dairy products, nan study found, and they were healthy.

The Indian Residential Schools Resolution Health Support Program has a hotline to thief residential schoolhouse survivors and their relatives suffering trauma invoked by nan callback of past abuse. The number is 1-866-925-4419.

The Hope for Wellness Help Line provides immediate, toll-free telephone and online-chat based affectional support and situation involution to each Indigenous Peoples successful Canada. This work is disposable 24/7 successful English and French, and upon petition successful Cree, Ojibway, and Inuktitut.