UNANSWERED QUESTIONS

Family mourns their joyful son

SASKATOON Family members of a five-year-old who drowned at a retention pond near Saskatoon’s Ecole Dundonald School have identified the youngster as Ahmadsadiq Elmmi.

The boy, who was born in Prince Albert, had transferred from Prince Albert’s public school division earlier this year.

On Tuesday his father, Hussein Elmmi, described the boy as a joyful child who “was full of life.”

“It’s a very difficult time,” Elmmi said. “I don’t have any adjective that will describe what happened to me.”

A member of Saskatoon’s Somali community, Hussein said his wife moved to Prince Albert in 2000 and he joined her in 2011. He said he’s unhappy with reports that his son was new to Canada, as he’s lived in this country all his life.

While public school division officials have said they’re offering support to the family and members of the school community, Elmmi said he hasn’t spoken with anyone from the school division about Monday’s tragedy.

Police and MD Ambulance were called to the 100 block of Wedge Road around 10:50 a.m. when the child’s absence was noted after morning recess and a search was started. He was found minutes later in the pond and rushed to hospital, but attempts to revive him were not successful.

Elmmi said he won’t speculate about what happened to his son until the investigation by the Office of the Chief Coroner is complete.

While many questions remain for the family, the entire Somali community is in mourning, he added, noting his son was always eager to help.

“He was always asking me, ‘Let’s go out, Dad. … Let’s go and have fun outside.’ That’s what he always asked.”

Ahmadsadiq was in kindergarten at the school.

On Tuesday, city staff said they ’re working with the Saskatoon Public School Division on what to do next in regards to the retention pond, which is currently not fenced.

He was always asking me, ‘Let’s go out, Dad. … Let’s go and have fun outside.’

That’s what he always asked.