Red Lake Schools superintendent confirms deaths of 2 young students in house fire
RED LAKE, Minn. — Red Lake Schools will hold a healing ceremony Thursday after the loss of two young children.
The school superintendent, Tim Lutz, says a first grader and a 4-year-old died in a house fire on Friday.
The deadly fire was the same day an AMBER Alert went out for Red Lake resident Jennifer Stately and her 3-year-old boy. Police say the boy suffered from a number of medical problems when they found him.
Stately faces assault, torture and neglect charges. Investigators say the missing toddler had sores and burns potentially from chemicals or heat.
Investigators have not said whether the two cases are connected. No more information has been released about the deadly fire.
In addition to the children's deaths, the Red Lake community is mourning the 19-year anniversary of Minnesota's deadliest mass shooting.
Seven people were killed in Red Lake when a 16-year-old student killed his grandfather and companion at their home, before he went to Red Lake High School, where he killed five students, a teacher and a security guard before shooting himself.
Lutz added that two other non-regular students who were part of the alternative learning program died by suicide earlier this year.
"The healing ceremony will allow us to take a moment to breathe and support each other during this difficult time for our community with the loss of two young children, the 19-year anniversary of the 2005 tragedy, the recent loss of several teenagers in addition to the many other struggles of grief and loss that are a part of daily life," Lutz said.