Family mourns boy killed in Big River hit and run

Adam Joseph never thought he would have to bury his greatgrandchild.

This past weekend, the band councillor at Big River First Nation was surrounded by loved ones as he laid to rest the five-year-old boy who was struck and killed in a hit and run last week.

“It’s so sad. It’s so sad to see the people emotional, me all choked up. I buried my great-grandchild myself,” Joseph said in interview from his home on the reserve.

Creedyn Starblanket died last week after he was struck by a vehicle while riding his bike in Big River.

Stephen Lalonde, 43, faces eight charges, including impaired driving causing death. He is also charged with one count each of dangerous driving causing death, criminal negligence causing death, failing to remain at the scene of a crash and three counts of breaching an undertaking.

“It’s just the stupidity. It’s alcohol-related,” Joseph said.

When people struggle with alcohol, it can be frightening for loved ones, he added.

“We the parents, the grandparents, we think a lot about our children who are out there drinking. We are so scared.”

Joseph said Creedyn and his family had moved to Big River, off the reserve, because there was nowhere for them to live.

He said racial tensions in the area have flared recently and he hopes Lalonde, who he said is white, is treated the same as an aboriginal person charged with the same crime.

“I know there is a lot of injustice that has been done,” he said.

Lalonde appeared last Thursday in Prince Albert provincial court. Sharon McMahon, 50, of Big River, was also charged with one count of failing to remain at the scene. She was released after appearing before a justice of the peace and is scheduled to appear in Big River provincial court on a future date.

RCMP said officers were called to the scene Tuesday around 9:20 p.m. after a report of a hit-andrun on Highway 55, which passes through the community of Big River.

Creedyn was rushed from the scene, but died in hospital. According to police, the driver of the suspect vehicle did not stop at the scene and was later located by police at a Big River business.

Big River is located about 130 kilometres northwest of Prince Albert.