OTTAWA – The Ontario First Nations Youth Council has issued a statement on the deaths of young people in Thunder Bay.
“We are very troubled by the recent deaths of two First Nation youth, Tammy Keeash, 17, a youth in Child and Family Services Care and Josiah Begg, 14, a youth who left his community with his father who needed medical services. Both youth have died under mysterious circumstances in Thunder Bay. We fully support the families of the victims in their ongoing search for answers and justice from the Thunder Bay Police Services and the Coroners.
“As we move forward as a community, we need to prioritize the safety, security, and well-being of all our First Nation’s youth who are in Child and Family Services and who leave their communities at any point in their life. We need to take care of each other, watch out for one another, and always check-in with one another. For the young people out there, always use the buddy-system.
“We, the Ontario First Nations Young Peoples Council, extend our support and offer our deepest condolences to the families of Tammy Keeash and Josiah Begg. The mothers, fathers, aunties, uncles, sisters, and brothers of these two youth need to be cared for by our communities. The loss of these two young people does not go unnoticed and leadership will support your search for justice. We ask that communities extend their love and care to one another in this time of grief.”
