Nunavut child dead, three injured in knife incident

One child is dead, while the child’s mother and two siblings are being treated for multiple stab wounds after a May 12 attack in Coral Harbour. (FILE PHOTO)

(Updated May 14, 4:00 p.m.)

One child is dead, while the child’s mother and two siblings are being treated for multiple stab wounds in Winnipeg after a May 12 incident in Coral Harbour.

All three remain in hospital in stable condition, although two of them are in critical condition, Nunavut RCMP said May 14.

The RCMP said May 12 that police responded to a call at a residence in the Kivalliq community shortly after noon.

In the residence, police discovered a 28-year-old woman and three children, all of whom had suffered “multiple stab wounds.”

Three of the four victims were then medevaced to Winnipeg; one of the children died of injuries.

Sources close to the community said the deceased child, a girl, a Grade 1 student, died at the nursing station in Coral Harbour, which has a population of about 1,000 people.

The mother also had two other children, a young baby boy and another son.

Sources told Nunatsiaq News that May 12 appeared to unfold normally until the woman’s husband went out to get a snowmobile part from a neighbour.

When he returned, he discovered the terrible scene.

“The town can’t believe it. They never had couple problems,” said a source, who did not want to be named.

Coral Harbour’s deputy mayor Ronnie Ningeongan said May 13 that the entire community is in shock following the stabbings.

“Coral Harbour is a very small, tight-knit community, and everyone knew what had happened right away,” Ningeongan said.

“This kind of event is unwelcome to any community. It’s such a tragic loss.”

Ningeongan said the hamlet remains in close contact with the local health centre, which is bringing in counsellors and extra nursing staff from Iqaluit to support family members of the victims and other residents in need.

“On behalf of the hamlet, we just want to send our deep condolences to affected families and friends,” he said. “We’re certainly trying to do our part to bring resources into our community so we can move forward.”

Nunavut’s departments of education and health are working together to coordinate grief counselling to the community and the local Sakku school, the GN said May 13.

A mental health nurse based in Coral Harbour was working with Sakku school staff May 13, while two mental health consultants are scheduled to arrive in the community May 15 to offer additional help.

Some people in the community have suggested that the mother may have suffered from postpartum depression.

Postpartum depression, also called postnatal depression, is a type of clinical depression experienced by up to two in three women after childbirth.

A more extreme form of the depression, called puerperal psychosis, occurs in about one to two per 1,000 women following childbirth.

Risk factors for postpartum depression include formula-feeding, a history of depression, and cigarette smoking — and women with fewer resources may show more postpartum depression and stress than those with more financial resources.

The “V” Division Major Crime Unit and the Forensic Identification Unit have been dispatched to Coral Harbour.

People who feel distressed can reach the Kamatsiaqtut Help Line at 1-867-979-3333 or, toll-free, from Nunavik or Nunavut, at 1-800-265-3333.

More to follow

— with files from Sarah Rogers and Jane George