A fundraiser has been started to support the families that lost three young boys on Saturday after an alleged drunk driver crashed into them on the side of the road.
The three boys are identified in the fundraiser as 13-year-old Terrence Spence and 11-year-olds, Kethan Lobster and Mattheo Moore.
RCMP said two of the boys were walking and the third was riding a bike when they were struck by a vehicle around 10:35 p.m. just outside of the community of Nelson House.
Officials said the driver of the vehicle took off on foot after the collision, but later turned himself in.
The driver of the vehicle — 27-year-old Todd Norman Linklater — faces multiple charges, including impaired driving causing death and failure to remain at the scene.
Kethan Lobster’s cousin Tori Yetman started the fundraiser with a goal of raising $25,000.
“We’re leaning towards hoping making safe bike paths, we’re leaning towards lighting the highway where the accident happened because there are no street lights and it is very dark and we also want to help the family with wake and funeral costs,” she said.
Yetman said her family is shocked about the loss and described her cousin as fun and happy.
“Whenever we did spend time together he was always praying practical jokes, just being goofy, smiling and teasing, he was just a ray of sunshine to be around,” she said.
Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation Chief Marcel Moody said the community is devastated.
“People are still in shock and obviously there’s a lot of grief in the community right now,” he said.
Moody said there will be counselling support in the school on Monday and a vigil planned for later in the day.
A relative of the victims confirmed the following Facebook image is of Todd Norman Linklater, 27, the man charged in the death of the three boys.