A vehicle was towed away following the death of an 11-month-old girl outside the Art Hauser Centre Sunday evening. (Brady Bateman/paNOW Staff)

By Charlene Tebbutt

Counselling and support

Community support offered following death of infant girl

Apr 2, 2019 | 1:01 PM

Support and counselling is being offered following the death of an 11-month-old girl outside the Art Hauser Centre Sunday evening.

A debriefing session is planned from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. today at the Alfred Jenkins Field House for anyone who may have witnessed the incident or assisted at the scene. Volunteers and counsellors from various community agencies will be on hand as part of the Compassionate Community Response Team.

Kristyn Ziegeman, assistant coordinator with the Prince Albert Police Services Victim Services Unit, which is part of the CCRT, said the session will give people a chance to talk openly about their feelings and learn about supports that can help.

“Those that witnessed it and saw, are given an outlet to speak about what they’ve seen,” Ziegeman said. “It’s not a normal experience [and] I think it’s really beneficial for people to have an outlet to vent their concerns and just get it all out there, in a controlled, non-judgmental, safe setting.”

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Police say the girl died after she was struck by a truck travelling at a very low speed in the parking lot at the Art Hauser Centre. The incident happened just before the final game of the Senator’s Cup was to be played.

Police say the incident continues to be investigated. A police spokesperson called it a “terrible and very unfortunate incident.”

The Prince Albert Grand Council, which hosts the Senator’s Cup, is also offering support through its Holistic Wellness Centre following the incident. PAGC Grand Chief Brian Hardlotte said the incident is tough to put into words, and supports are being offered to the family of the little girl as well.

“It was so shocking, for everybody,” Hardlotte said. “It’s a terrible thing to lose a loved one, especially a child.”

Hardlotte said it was tough to decide whether to go ahead with the final game of the Senator’s Cup after the incident, but the decision was made to continue. He said he was grateful to emergency responders, police and paramedics who responded to the incident, and thanked community Elders for their guidance, prayers and support Sunday evening.

“Before the final game was played, we did a prayer right at the site outside the Art Hauser,” Hardlotte said. “And before the hockey game, they explained what had just happened, to the fans, and also to the hockey players [and] everybody was involved in the prayer, and I thought that was very powerful.”’

The City of Prince Albert is offering counselling and support to all staff who were at the Art Hauser Centre Sunday or assisted at the scene.

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Charlene.tebbutt@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @CharleneTebbutt