At 5:00 am, on February 21, 2020, Island Lake RCMP responded to a report of a house fire in Garden Hill First Nation. Upon arrival, the home had already been destroyed by the fire.

The initial investigation has determined that an adult resident saw flames at approximately 3:00 am and attempted to evacuate everyone within the home. Three adults and four children were inside the home at the time of the fire. After escaping the home, one child was unaccounted for but due to the fire and smoke, the residents were not able to enter the home to search for the missing 7-year-old boy.

The body of the 7-year-old child was located within the residence on the afternoon of February 21, 2020.

The Office of the Fire Commissioner is assisting with this ongoing investigation.