The death of a six-year-old boy in Port Alberni is now being treated as suspicious.
The child was found in medical distress at a home on 8th Avenue in Port Alberni around 9:30 a.m. March 13. He was rushed to hospital but later died.
RCMP say they believe there are people who have information about the boy’s death who have not yet come forward.
“We are imploring anyone who has any information about this tragic death or who’ve since learned anything that may help investigators, to do the right thing and come forward,” Cpl. Amelia Hayden of Port Alberni RCMP said in a release.
RCMP have not released any details on how the boy died.
He was a student at Haahuupayak Elementary and lived on the Tseshaht First Nation reserve. The school principal sent an urgent notice to parents and staff on Facebook after learning of the boy’s death and closed the school for the remainder of that week.
In a statement March 15, principal Wayne Peterson said the school is heartbroken to learn of the student’s passing.
“It is no easy thing to lose one of our own. As a sign of respect to his family and to honour the grieving process for all his loved ones, including staff and students, the school will be closed for the remainder of the week leading into Spring Break,” the statement reads.
“We support the family in their request for privacy from the media and the general public, as they grieve the terrible loss of their child.”
RCMP is asking anyone with information to contact Port Alberni RCMP at 250-723-2424 or Alberni Valley Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).
Comments