The RCMP say the drowning death of a five-year-old child at a popular lake west of Edmonton earlier this month has now been deemed “suspicious” and their major crimes unit has now taken over the investigation.
In a news release issued Tuesday, police said they continue to look to speak with more witnesses.
“Police believe that there were several people on the lake during this time and are asking these individuals to come forward as police believe they may have valuable information leading up to the drowning,” the RCMP said.
“If you had been on Moonlight Bay on Oct. 13, 2024, between the hours of 2 p.m. and 3 p.m., police are asking you to contact the Parkland RCMP detachment.”
The girl died on Oct. 13 at Moonlight Bay on Wabamun Lake. The lake is located about 70 kilometres west of Edmonton.
Police said officers were first called to the scene just before 3 p.m. that day after receiving a report about a canoe that had flipped over. At the time, it was believed two people were on the boat.
According to the RCMP, a young girl was recovered from the water by bystanders before police and paramedics arrived. She died despite the life-saving efforts of paramedics. The other person who had been in the canoe is a 35-year-old woman who was pulled from the water by someone on another boat.
On Oct. 17, police provided an update and said investigators no longer believe the canoe capsized and confirmed they were “continuing to treat this fatal incident as a criminal investigation.”