RCMP in Maskwacis, Alta., are investigating the deaths of two toddlers on the Samson Cree Nation on Tuesday evening.
Officers were initially called to help find two missing children at 6:44 p.m.
“The children were subsequently located by the family in a body of water on the property belonging to the family,” Maskwacis RCMP said in a news release on Wednesday.
People tried to resuscitate the boys until EMS arrived.
The siblings were taken to hospital but were declared dead.
“Investigation into the cause of this incident remains ongoing by the Maskwacis General Investigation Section with the assistance of the Major Crimes Unit,” RCMP said. “Preliminary information reveals no indication of criminality.”
“This is an extremely tragic incident and the outcome of the search for these children was not what we hoped for,” Maskwacis RCMP Insp. James McLaren said. “Right now a family, and the whole community, is in shock and mourning and we hope that their privacy will be respected.”
Samson Cree Nation is located about 100 kilometres south of Edmonton.