An infant is dead and over a dozen other patients—many of whom are children—were taken to hospital with “flu-like symptoms” on Wednesday from Stoney Nakoda First Nation.
EMS told Global News at least half a dozen ambulances were called to the scene at the First Nation, located west of Calgary, at 11:45 a.m.
RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Curtis Peters said officers were called to a report of a child in medical distress at a residence at about 12:15 p.m.
EMS spokesperson Stuart Brideaux told Global News the young child was pronounced dead at the scene.
Family members close to the home told Global News the child who died was a four-month-old baby.
There were conflicting reports as of Wednesday night as to whether the deceased child was a boy or a girl. RCMP confirmed on Thursday the baby was a girl.
WATCH: Officials are still working to confirm what caused the death of a baby, and the hospitalization of 14 others, on the Stoney Nakoda First Nation.
One child was reported to be in serious condition, while the remaining patients were in stable condition as of 5 p.m., according to RCMP.
Brideaux said the youngest patient assessed was four months old and the oldest was 17.
“EMS is working to sort out what the potential origin of the circumstances is today. However, at this time it seems to be of medical nature,” Brideaux said.
Brideaux said just after 3 p.m. that one adult patient and 14 children were taken to hospital. Alberta Health Services (AHS) provided an update at around 4:30 p.m., saying the patients involved four adults and 10 children.
WATCH: EMS spokesperson Stuart Brideaux updates the situation on the Stoney Nakoda First Nation. Brideaux said one adult patient and 14 children were taken to hospital. AHS provided an update at around 4:30 p.m., saying 10 children and four adults were assessed.
“I can confirm there’s no concerns of trauma or violence attached to this incident,” Brideaux said, adding that the illnesses don’t appear to be the result of carbon monoxide or any other noxious substance.
“From the presentation of many of the patients that we transported, it seems to be an illness of medical origin,” he said. “Not necessarily like an external factor, but again, that is not yet determined. However, we’ve been able to identify common traits among all who were transported.”
A family member told Global News Wednesday the children are in quarantine as medical staff investigate.
Rob Lahache, CEO of the Wesley First Nation on Stoney Nakoda territory, said the incident occurred on the Wesley First Nation.
“This will have an effect throughout our entire community, from Big Horn to Eden Valley,” he said. “Especially a child so young. Our thoughts and prayers are with family and the entire community… we would like to respect the privacy of the family.
“We’re left wondering right now,” Lahache added. “We don’t have any answers.”
Global1 aerial footage showed several RCMP vehicles and ambulances at what appeared to be a residence on the First Nation at about 2:30 p.m.
First Nation spokesperson Ken Christensen confirmed emergency crews responded to a “medical problem,” but declined to provide further details.
“We’re not entirely sure of the relationship among all of them, although it does appear that there’s a relationship among many of the patients that we have transported,” Brideaux said.
Cochrane RCMP, with the help of the major crimes unit, are investigating. RCMP asked that the public stay away from the area.
“We are going to be investigating this death as a sudden death, but it’s too soon to say right now if it’s suspicious or a criminal death at this point. We are still in the very early stages,” Peters said.
WATCH: A four-month-old child has died and at least 14 other people, many of them children, are in hospital after an incident on the Stoney Nakoda First Nation in southern Alberta. Reid Fiest reports from Calgary.
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