One adult and one six-month-old child from Red Pheasant First Nation died after a two-vehicle crash on Highway 4 Friday. There were also several other people injured as a result of the collision.
Around 3:15 on July 5, RCMP officers along with local fire, EMS and STARS were called to the scene about seven kilometres south of Battleford.
RCMP say a motorhome and an SUV collided. The driver of the SUV and one passenger were declared deceased by EMS at the scene.
“They have been identified as a 29-year-old female and a six-month old male, both from Red Pheasant First Nation,” RCMP said.
In an interview with Global News, a family member confirmed Kelsea Rayne and her son Jayce died in the accident.
“Everybody is still processing and very numb,” Michele Wuttunee said. “Although we are very hopeful and grateful. We have had such a big support group from families and friends to community to people that are all over the province and the world reaching out and having ceremony.
“Kelsea was such a loving mom and she wanted to do the best that she could for those two little boys.”
An adult male passenger in the SUV was also taken to hospital with serious injuries. A male child in the SUV was airlifted by STARS with serious injuries.
Wuttunee said the family’s attention has shifted to making helping the injured family members recover any way they can.
“Our three-year-old boy is in ICU,” Wuttunee said. “He had brain surgery when he was brought in on Friday. He has had a little movement today which is an improvement… we are all just hoping and praying.”
From what Wuttunee understands, everyone was buckled in and safe, but ‘accidents happen.’
The adult male driver and adult female passenger of the motorhome were taken to hospital with injuries described as non-life threatening.
“We are thinking about him and his family as well and we want him to know it was an accident and hopefully that brings him some peace,” Wuttunee said about the other family injured.
Highway 4 has been reopened.
Battlefords RCMP continue to investigate with the assistance of a Saskatchewan RCMP collision reconstructionist.