Siblings of baby who died on Alberta First Nation had respiratory viruses

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The siblings of a baby girl who died at a First Nations community west of Calgary had a “variety of common respiratory viruses” when they were admitted to hospital this week, Alberta Health Services says.

The siblings are not facing ongoing health risks, the government agency added in a statement released on Friday. Further, the public is not at risk.

Nine of the hospitalized siblings were discharged from hospital on Friday and will be cared for by extended family members on reserve, the local children’s welfare authority said.

“We’re just trying to react and ensure the children are properly cared for … and trying to keep the family unit as close together as we can,” said Trez McCaskill, director of Stoney Nakoda Child and Family Services, who added the agency is working with the parents to reunite the family.

One other young girl from the large family is in stable condition but will remain in hospital for the time being, Mr. McCaskill said.

Alberta has a number of agencies that oversee children’s services for First Nations in the province. The Bearspaw, Chiniki, and Wesley bands fall under the Stoney Nakoda Child and Family Services Society’s umbrella. The province’s delegated First Nations agencies adhere to provincial child services rules, although they are federally funded, a spokesman for Alberta’s Children’s Services said.

A spokesman for the provincial minister of Children’s Services declined to comment on the specific details of the case for privacy reasons.

On Wednesday at midday, RCMP and Calgary emergency services responded to a report of a child in medical distress. Emergency workers found a family of 15 at the home in Morley, Alta., and pronounced a four-month-old baby girl dead on the scene. Twelve of her sisters and brothers, including two adult siblings, were transported to hospital with what health officials said were flu-like symptoms. The two parents in the household travelled to hospital on their own.

The two adult siblings were discharged on Thursday. The parents were not hospitalized.

The children were all together at the home because it’s a spring-break week for schools in the community.

“A variety of common respiratory viruses were determined to be involved with those admitted to hospital,” AHS said in its statement. “AHS is not able to comment on the RCMP investigation into the death of a child linked to this situation.”

The RCMP Major Crimes Unit, along with the Cochrane RCMP, continue to investigate the death of the infant. An autopsy was slated for Friday.

Late Thursday, Chief Ernest Wesley of the Wesley band, which is part of the Stoney Nakoda, issued a news released asking the media and public “to respect the privacy of the impacted family, the band members and leadership.

“At this time we are co-operating fully with all the provincial and federal agencies involved in investigating this tragic event.”

Everyone in the close-knit community has been affected, said Rob Lahache, an official with the Wesley band. A contingent of First Nation elders is reaching out to people who need emotional support, he said.