Child kills child on First Nation

The Advocate for Children and Youth has been directed by Social Services Minister June Draude to investigate a child taking the life of another child on the Kahkewistahaw First Nation. Both boys involved were in foster care. On Aug. 21, Lee Bonneau, 6, was found beaten in a wooded area not far from the Kahkewistahaw First Nation community centre and died in hospital. RCMP believe a boy under the age of 12 from the reserve was responsible for Lee’s death, but because of the boy’s age he cannot be identified or charged under the Youth Criminal Justice Act. The boy was “receiving services” from Yorkton Tribal Child and Family Services. Bob Pringle, the province’s Advocate for Children and Youth, told Postmedia News that even without Draude’s direction he would have staged a full investigation, which he says will be on “the fast track.” Said Pringle, “We will find out what happened and we’ll do some analysis and make recommendations.” The child responsible for the death is now in the custody of the province. At a news conference, Kahkewistahaw’s Chief Sheldon Taypotat said the community was “in a state of disbelief and shock ... We are a small community and a tragedy such as this affects us deeply.”