Police continue investigation into woman’s death

WE’KOQMA’Q — Residents of Cape Breton’s five Indigenous communities were left reeling Thursday as news spread of a suspicious death of a 22-year-old mother of twin girls.

The woman was found dead in a home in We’koqma’q First Nation (formerly referred to as Waycobah) on Wednesday, according to RCMP. Several relatives of the woman contacted Thursday all declined to offer comment explaining the death is taking its toll on all residents.

“It’s too early to be talking,” said one relative, adding the news has saddened all First Nations residents. Others expressed concern they wanted to first wait for RCMP to comment on the nature of the death and they didn’t want to say something that might jeopardize that investigation.

The investigation is being led by the RCMP Northeast Nova Major Crimes Unit. “Members of the public in that community will certainly see police in the area as we try and figure out exactly what took place,” said a RCMP spokesperson. Forensic teams were on site Thursday examining the property where the body was found.

The name of the deceased has not been released. It is believed the woman’s six-month-old twins were present in the home when the body was discovered and are now being cared for by family members. Family roots among Cape Breton’s Indigenous communities run deep as family and extended family relatives often live and work closely together.