Six Nations Police announce investigation into deaths at Mohawk Institute residential school

WARNING:This story contains distressing details.

Six Nations Police sayan investigation will be launched into deaths at the Mohawk Institute residential school.

Itcomes after repeated calls from survivors, and Six Nations elected chief Mark Hill, for the entire site in Brantford, Ont., to be scanned as part of a criminal investigation.

Hill, standing with survivors last week in front of whatis now the Woodland Cultural Centre, saidhis community considers the search a multi-jurisdictional criminal and potential death investigation.

"This is a criminal investigation, and our goal is to search for justice,"the chief said at the time.

Police Chief Darren Montour was given a signed letter from survivors during that announcement, outlining "mental, physical and sexual abuse by staff members,"the service said in a release.

"The letter also alleges that some students disappeared, were never seen again, and that many died while at the school," the service says."The survivors felt that some staff may be responsible for the deaths of the students."

Police say the letter describes thebones of a child being found on the grounds around 1983, then reburied in an unmarked grave somewhere on the property.

Records indicate 54 deaths at the residential school, but police saidit's not known where the deceased were buried and survivors want them to find their fellow students.

Montourtold CBCNews thatSix Nations Police are in the early stages of planning theinvestigation and determining what it willlook like.

"An investigation of this magnitude is not something we're capable of doing on ourown," he said, so theservice hasreached out to the OPP and Brantford police for assistance and resources.

"It's going to have an affect on the community as well. That's our concern," Montour added.

OPP reviewing request for help

Unmarked graves at residential schools drew national focus this year following the discovery ofgrave sitesin Kamloops, B.C.Tk'emlps te Secwpemc First Nation saidpreliminary findings from a survey of the site by ground-penetrating radar,combined with previous knowledge and oral history,indicated215 children had been buried at the site.

Bill Dickson, a spokesperson for the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP),said the service received a letter on July 23 from Montourrequesting that "the OPP provide investigative assistance into incidents of abuse and deaths that occurred at the Mohawk Institute, and to help locate the unmarked graves of lost children."

• Do you have information about residential schools? Email your tips toWhereAreThey@cbc.ca.

The OPP is reviewing the request and will meet with Six Nations and Brantford police to work out next steps, including potentially assigningan OPP case manager, Dickson said.

"We cannot speculate on the timing, processes or outcomes of any investigation while that assessment is being made," he wrote, adding the OPP "acknowledges the trauma and harm caused to Indigenous peoples by Canada's residential school system and the importance of listening to survivors and their families."

Brantford police also confirmed it received a request for helpfrom Six Nations andthe service will "provide assistance as best we can."

Corporate communicationsmanagerRobin Matthews-Osmondsaid due to the resourcesthe investigation is expected to require, Chief Robert Davis would be bringing it to the police services board to get its support.

"This is a matter of significant importance to our community," she said.

No money from governments yet: Six Nations chief

Six Nations elected Chief Mark Hill said in an interviewthat emotions are high among survivors and the community now that the investigation is moving forward.

"I think our children, our ancestors are looking at us as 'this is the right thing to do,'" he said.

Hillsaid Six Nations police, OPP, Brantford police and Ontario's chief coroner have all indicated they want to proceedwith the criminal investigation and the search.

He said he's alsoheardfromPremier Doug Ford's office and Prime MinisterJustin Trudeau's office, but hasn't received any of the $10 million survivors requested to start searching.

"If they're supportive ...then what's the hold up in getting funds to communities? That's my biggest frustration," Hill said.

In the meantime, Six Nations elected council has given$1 million to survivors to kickstartthe efforts.

Hill said it is still too early to say wherethe investigation or search may begin, but said survivorsare prioritizing what parts of the school grounds should be searched.

"We have the support and direction that our survivors are giving us," he said. "This is entirely survivor-led, community led and that's who we answer to."

Support is available for anyone affected by the lingering effects of residential school and thosetriggered by the latest reports.

A national Indian Residential School Crisis Line has been set up to provide support for residential school survivors and others affected. People can access emotional and crisis referral services by calling the 24-hour national crisis line: 1-866-925-4419.

Do you have information about unmarked graves, children who never came home or residential school staff and operations? Email your tips to CBC's new Indigenous-led team investigating residential schools:WhereAreThey@cbc.ca.