The death was announced Saturday in a post on a GoFundMe campaign raising money for the family. “He had fought hard for the past two days, but his body could not heal,” the post said. Shippagan Mayor Kassim Doumbia said the news of the death is heartbreaking for the community. “It’s really sad, sad news,” Dubia said. He said flags on municipal buildings and the school will be at half-mast. In a statement sent to parents, Rodney Ward, the principal of l’École L’Envolée where the boy went to school, said the boy died on Saturday night and an intervention team would be at the school on Monday to help students.
RCMP investigation
RCMP told Radio-Canada that on Thursday the boy was hit in the back of the head by a 15-year-old in the city. The 11-year-old was later sent to IWK in Halifax with serious injuries, including a fractured skull and bleeding on the brain. RCMP say they are investigating. On Saturday, the GoFundMe page said the boy was in a coma and in critical condition. Dubia said the family later made the difficult decision to remove the boy from maintenance.
“We have to be there for both families,” says the mayor
The incident, coupled with youth hailing from the community, resulted in the mayor pleading for restraint and understanding. Dubia said two families are suffering and asked residents to be careful what they post on social media. “We need to be there for both families to make sure they can find a way to deal with this situation,” he said. Dubia said the situation hits especially hard in a small town like Shippagan where “everyone knows each other.” “What I’m hoping for is that… the events won’t tear apart [families] apart and we find ways to forgive,” Dubia said. “At the end of the day, it’s important to forgive.”
