Two girls from Elsipogtog First Nation in New Brunswick have been arrested in connection with a fire that destroyed the local youth centre last week.
Police responded to the fire, which “completely destroyed” the youth centre, on Nov. 10 around 4:50 a.m. The fire was deemed suspicious.
In a news release, the New Brunswick RCMP said officers arrested a 12-year-old girl later that day. The next day, another 12-year-old girl was arrested.
Both girls were later released, and are scheduled to appear in Elsipogtog Provincial Court in March 2023.
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“We recognize that this is a very significant loss to the community, and we’d like to thank the community for their assistance with this investigation,” said Sgt. Pierre-Luc Hache of the Elsipogtog RCMP detachment in the release.
“Thanks to information provided by community members, we were able to quickly identify the individuals responsible for the fire.”
In a phone interview, Hache said charges will not be laid until the court appearance.
Elsipogtog First Nation Chief Arren Sock said in the release the youth centre “has been an integral part of our community for more than 20 years.”
“We are currently in discussion with our youth support staff and various departments to determine the steps necessary to ensure that youth services can continue during this time,” he said.
Police say the investigation is ongoing.
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