Edmonton police officers shot at more people per capita in 2023 than any other police force in Canada. Photo: APTN file
The body of an eight-year-old girl was located on Samson Cree Nation in Maskwacis over the weekend after an investigation by Edmonton police and the RCMP.
The girl has been missing from Edmonton since March 22, according to the family.
Police said they’re confident the remains are the girl.
The eight-year-old girl and her family can’t be named under a publication ban. The family told APTN News that they are working to get the publication ban lifted.
“The impact on our family we are not the same we are all mad and broken. It is so disgusting what they did to my granddaughter. No child deserves that…no person deserves that,” said the child’s grandmother.
Police said two people were charged even before the girl’s body was located. On April 27, a 27-year-old woman has been charged with first-degree murder and committing an indignity to a body and a 66-year-old man was charged with accessory to first degree murder and an indignity to a body. On April 29, a 25-year-old-man was also charged with accessory to first-degree murder and an indignity to a body
The accused aren’t being named but police said they were known to the girl.
The same evening her remains were discovered there was more than a hundred people at a rally supporting the family on Saturday.
The girl was living in Edmonton and it appears her remains were transported to Maskwacis.
The child’s aunt also spoke to APTN. She said it was difficult to get information from the police about what was happening.
“I know the police have to do their job but at the same time it was the way they were treating us… they did not inform her dad who has custody of [the child],” said the aunt.
The child had just turned eight in April. The grandmother told APTN she had not been able to see her granddaughter since Christmas.
“I have texts saying everything was fine with [the child]. She kept making excuses like ‘oh we are having a bad day’,” said the grandmother.
In the early the evening of April 24, 2023, Edmonton Police Service members did a welfare check at the house of a 27-year-old woman who had been caring for the girl.
Due to “suspicious circumstances” police began a homicide investigation. EPS said that they worked with the RCMP and other agency partners to search for the young girl’s remains.
“We are grateful for the support of the RCMP and the band leaders of Samson Cree Nation who helped facilitate the search and recovery of the remains,” said Staff Sgt. Colin Leathem with the Edmonton police homicide section. “This is a significant development in the investigation, but we still have a lot more work to do.”
The eight-year-old girl’s grandmother has set up a GoFundMe to help cover the costs of funeral services. So far, $2,910 out of $5,000 has been raised.
‘While investigators are confident the remains are those of an 8-year-old girl they were searching for, police will await forensic confirmation from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner following an autopsy on Monday, May 1, 2023,” said a press release from the police.
