An expert says ground-penetrating radar was used to search an apple orchard at the former Kamloops residential school after a child’s rib bone and a tooth were found.
Prof. Sarah Beaulieu of the University of the Fraser Valley says the search has covered less than a hectare and there are another 65 hectares to search.
Beaulieu says the investigation also has evidence from those who were as young as six at the time being woken in the night to dig graves.
Chief Rosanne Casimir of the Tk’emlups te Secwepemc First Nation says after so many years of silence and disbelief, they are thankful to those who dug the graves so they could verify through science where some of the missing children are located.
The nation announced in May that the ground-penetrating radar had identified what are believed to be the remains of 215 children in unmarked graves.
Casimir called on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the federal government and the Catholic Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate to release the complete student attendance records for the institution so the nation can fulfil its responsibility to identify the missing children and reunite them with their home communities.
The Indian Residential Schools Resolution Health Support Program has a hotline to help residential school survivors and their relatives suffering with trauma invoked by the recall of past abuse, which can be reached by calling 1-866-925-4419.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 15, 2021.
The Canadian Press
