Close X
Sunday, November 10, 2024
ADVT 
National

Police Break Up Suicide Pact Of 13 Young People In Attawapiskat, Ont.

Darpan News Desk IANS, 12 Apr, 2016 12:30 PM
    ATTAWAPISKAT, Ont. — An aboriginal official in northern Ontario says a nine-year-old child and 12 other youths were overheard making a suicide pact Monday on a remote First Nation mired in a suicide crisis.
     
    Anna Betty Achneepineskum of the Nishnawbe Aski Nation says police brought the youths to the local hospital in Attawapiskat for an evaluation, but the hospital was too overwhelmed to see all of them at once and about half of them waited in jail for treatment.
     
    Achneepineskum says the entire community in the James Bay region is so overwhelmed by the rash of suicide attempts that three of the four health-care workers have been sent to Thunder Bay for counselling and rest.
     
    The Attawapiskat chief and eight councillors declared a state of emergency Saturday evening, citing the community's 11 suicide attempts so far in the month of April and 28 recorded attempts in March.
     
    Achneepineskum says some of the young people have been released back to their parents, while others are being treated for a variety of mental health issues.
     
    She says a group from Nishnawbe Aski Nation, a political organization that represents 49 First Nations communities including Attawapiskat, made plans a month ago to come into the community to talk about the suicide crisis.
     
    "There are so many things that are needed here," Achneepineskum said. "So many things."

    MORE National ARTICLES

    Saskatchewan Police Search For Escaped Murder Suspect After Men Ambush Guards

    Saskatchewan Police Search For Escaped Murder Suspect After Men Ambush Guards
    Braidy Vermette, 27, escaped while being taken to a hospital for a self-inflicted arm injury Wednesday night in Prince Albert.

    Saskatchewan Police Search For Escaped Murder Suspect After Men Ambush Guards

    Prince Rupert Residents Worry Aggressive Wolves Threaten Pedestrians, Pets

    Prince Rupert Residents Worry Aggressive Wolves Threaten Pedestrians, Pets
    Some residents of Prince Rupert, B.C., say they are nervous about increasing wolf encounters in the north coast city.

    Prince Rupert Residents Worry Aggressive Wolves Threaten Pedestrians, Pets

    RCMP Boss Bob Paulson Reticent To Answer Questions About Avoiding Speeding Ticket

    RCMP Boss Bob Paulson Reticent To Answer Questions About Avoiding Speeding Ticket
    Bob Paulson told members of the Vancouver Board of Trade that he was pulled over while driving a rental vehicle along the Coquihalla Highway returning from a friend's wedding last year.

    RCMP Boss Bob Paulson Reticent To Answer Questions About Avoiding Speeding Ticket

    5 Things About Canada's Private Sponsorship Program For Refugees

    5 Things About Canada's Private Sponsorship Program For Refugees
    It's one of the only programs of its kind in the world. It's not until recent years that other countries have adopted the private sponsorship model

    5 Things About Canada's Private Sponsorship Program For Refugees

    Burnaby Man Charged With Murder After Woman's Body Found Near Mission

    A charge of second-degree murder was laid two days later against Burnaby resident Ryan Anthony.

    Burnaby Man Charged With Murder After Woman's Body Found Near Mission

    Fire In Vancouver Homeless Shelter Claims Life

    Fire In Vancouver Homeless Shelter Claims Life
    One person is dead following a fire at a homeless shelter in downtown Vancouver.

    Fire In Vancouver Homeless Shelter Claims Life