RCMP reported that a man passed away, and two teenagers were hospitalized after ingesting a liquid substance on Sunday. The incident was brought to the attention of God’s Lake Narrows RCMP by a First Nation Safety Officer around 12:40 a.m. that day. The officer reported that a 20-year-old male had been taken to a Nursing Station for treatment after consuming multiple doses of the liquid. Upon arriving at the nursing station, police found a large crowd gathered, confirming the man’s death. Two teenage boys, aged 15 and 17, who also consumed the substance, were in critical condition and were airlifted to Winnipeg for medical care. The community of God’s Lake Narrows is situated approximately 540 kilometers northeast of Winnipeg.
An initial investigation by the police revealed that around 10 other individuals in the northern Manitoba community, located over 1,000 kilometers north of Winnipeg, had also consumed the substance. Fortunately, they were all treated and discharged. Shared Health confirmed on Monday that two minors and one young adult from God’s Lake Narrows were transferred to the Health Sciences Centre in Winnipeg on the morning of November 16, but details of their conditions were not disclosed for privacy reasons.
Keewatin Tribal Council Grand Chief Walter Wastesicoot mentioned in an email that he had spoken with God’s Lake Narrows Chief Gilbert Andrews, who informed him that the community was in a state of shock and not engaging with the media at the moment. He further stated that the Keewatin Tribal Council Trauma Team was en route to provide support to community members. The police have confiscated a sample of the substance for analysis, and the source of the substance has been identified.
Although the substance has been identified, law enforcement has not disclosed its exact nature. The investigation is ongoing, with God’s Lake Narrows RCMP and Manitoba RCMP Major Crime Services leading the probe.