13-year-old facing charges after 10-year-old found dead in a central Alberta home

Editor’s note: RCMP originally incorrectly identified the teen’s age. A second news release was issued that corrected it to 13. An earlier version of this story also said police had been called at 5 a.m. Police were called at 4 a.m. This story has been updated with the new information.

A manslaughter charge has been laid against a teen from Maskwacis, Alta. after a 10-year-old was found dead in a home.

Police made the discovery after responding to a 911 call to a home on the Samson Cree Nation at around 4 a.m. on Wednesday.

The shooting happened in the Samson townsite, RCMP said.

A 13-year-old who was on scene was taken into custody.

“The two males were known to one another and this was not a random event,” Staff Sgt. Dwayne Moore said.

“This was a tragic event.”

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According to police, an autopsy was performed on the child and the investigation led police to lay a charge against the teen of manslaughter with a firearm.

“We don’t take that lightly,” Moore said. “Based on the evidence, those were the appropriate charges to be laid.”

Moore said the RCMP Major Crimes Unit as well as the general investigative unit of the Maskwacis RCMP were involved in the investigation.

“This has had deep effects and significant effects on all of those involved which include the families as well as the community as a whole and the police.”

Police said neither the accused nor the victim would be named.

According to Moore, further information on what happened that led to the shooting and what the scene was like when police arrived wouldn’t be released as the investigation is ongoing.

The accused is scheduled to be in court on Sept. 2 in Wetaskiwin.

The Samson Cree Nation is one of four band governments that make up Maskwacis and is 99 kilometres south of Edmonton.