“This has never happened in our community … and we are just shaken by what has happened,” said Father Goitom Mengesha. The Calgary Eritrean community mourns the tragic deaths of two children, prompting a gathering to support their grieving mother.
A Calgary father faces two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of his five-year-old son and three-year-old daughter. The children were found in a vehicle in Calgary’s northwest. The father contacted 911 and stated that he had killed his children.
The parents had been in a six-year common-law relationship and shared joint custody of the children. Police had previously responded to their residence four times during this relationship.
Dozens of members of Calgary’s Eritrean community gathered to mourn the children. Adanech Sahilie, a community member, noted, “It’s really hard for mom. She doesn’t have any family members in Canada.” This support highlights the tight-knit nature of the community.
This incident comes at a time when African Vaccination Week was observed at the national level in Eritrea. The theme for this year was “Let Parents and the Community Work in Collaboration for Ensuring the Health of Our Children.” In Eritrea, vaccination coverage reached 98%, significantly reducing child mortality rates.
The impact of this tragedy weighs heavily on the community as they seek to provide comfort and support to the grieving family. The next court appearance for the accused is yet to be scheduled as investigations continue.
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