Stó:lō Nation identifies 158 child deaths, potential unmarked graves at former residential schools, hospital
CBC
WARNING: This story contains distressing details.
The Stó:lō Nation in B.C.'s Fraser Valley says its probe into missing children and unmarked burials has so far identified, with certainty, 158 children who died at or because of their attendance at three former residential school sites and one former hospital.
Preliminary findings from ground-penetrating radar also suggest numerous anomalies that could be unmarked graves at St. Mary's Residential School in Mission, according to the Nation's research team.
"The heaviness of the work today cannot be summed into words," said Chief David Jimmie, president of the Stó:lō Nation.
Officials with the nation provided a public update over the work on Thursday afternoon at the site of Pekw'xe:yles (St. Mary's Residential School), about 60 kilometres east of Vancouver.
According to archival research and interviews conducted by the Nation, 37 children died at or due to their attendance at Coqualeetza Industrial Institute/Residential School in Chilliwack, 20 died at St. Mary's, five died at All Hallow School in Yale and 96 children between ages five and 20 died at the Coqualeetza Indian Hospital.
The vast majority of children — 133 of 158 — were reported to have died due to illnesses like tuberculosis and pneumonia, or complications thereof, said project lead Amber Kostuchenko, emotion rising in her voice.
Of those, 79 died of tuberculosis at Coqualeetza Indian Hospital, said Kostuchenko.
Three children at Coqualeetza reportedly died due to injuries, and the cause of death for the other 21 deaths is not yet known, said Kostuchenko.
In December 2021, the Stó:lō Nation announced a three-year plan to search the grounds of the four institutions.
The undertaking by the Stó:lō was launched following news that ground-penetrating radar located what are believed to be more than 200 graves at a former residential school in Kamloops in May 2021.
Similar searches and findings have or are taking place in several provinces across Canada.
Jimmie, Grand Chief Doug Kelly, and survivors said the work is about honouring their ancestors and survivors, not simply tallying the number who died.
"This isn't a victory. This isn't a win. This is justice. This is a validation of what me and my people have gone through in residential schools driven by the government with the backbone of the church," said Cyril Pierre, a member of the Katzie First Nation and survivor of St. Mary's Indian Residential School, in a statement on Thursday.
This First Person column is the experience of Shannon Flaman, who lives in Red Deer, Alta. For more information about CBC's First Person stories, please see the FAQ.
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