Four Slate Falls community members and a Sioux Lookout resident have died after their vehicle left the Slate Falls Road and entered the Brokenmouth River.
Community members Gordon Carpenter, 55, John Bighead, 23, Samantha Loon, 26, and Claudia Loon, 20, died on June 15 along with Kimberly Whiskeyjack, 23, of Sioux Lookout, after a single motor vehicle collision about 15 kilometres south of Slate Falls.
Regional Chief Stan Beardy expressed his condolences to the community, noting four of the deceased were under 27 years old.
“With the tragic loss of so many and so unexpectedly the grief and sorrow reaches into the hearts and lives of the entire community,” Beardy said. “We sincerely hope that with the help of the Creator that friends and family may be able to find comfort and strength in the days and weeks to come.”
Ontario Provincial Police officers determined the vehicle had been northbound when then it left the roadway and entered the river.
The vehicle was recovered from the river on June 16 with all five deceased located inside.
Post mortems are scheduled to take place in Kenora.
OPP said the investigation is continuing.
When I was a boy growing up in my home community of Attawapiskat on the James Bay coast, I was deathly afraid of looking at the full moon.
When I was a boy growing up in my home community of Attawapiskat on the James Bay coast, I was deathly afraid of looking at the full moon.
I grew up...
I’m happy to see the ongoing support and assistance in our northern remote communities to help our people cope with so many lifelong and generational issues...