'Everybody’s pulling together': Community reels following death of 10-year-old girl near Brantford
A community is in mourning after a 10-year-old girl was killed earlier this week when flames tore through her family’s camping trailer southeast of Brantford.
The family says they have been overwhelmed by the kindness people have been showing since that tragic day. They are now working to support the rest of the surviving family members as they mourn the loss of 10-year-old Ava Howick.
"I was just basically numb, devastated," said Ava’s great aunt Bonnie Childs.
Flames ripped through a camping trailer in Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation just before 2 a.m. Monday.
Marshall Howick, Norma White-Howick, and four of their children were able to escape, but their daughter Ava didn’t make it out.
"I got a message from my sister-in-law through Facebook so that’s how I found out," said Childs.
Police say Ava was located inside the trailer and pronounced dead at the scene. Her 15-year-old brother remains in hospital.
For Childs, she received the heartbreaking news on her way home from a vacation.
"It was so much and I was so far away," she said. "I couldn’t do anything. I wanted to be home right then [and] I was told about Ava.”
Childs says Ava was a happy child full of life and determination.
"She was an energetic little thing," she said. "She liked to be outside, all of those kids loved to be outside. If they could find the woods to play in, that’s where they would be playing."
Ava Howick, 10, is seen in this undated photo. (Facebook - Bonnie M Howick-Childs)
It is still not clear how this fire began and officials say it could take some time to find answers.
A spokesperson for the Ontario Fire Marshal told CTV News in part, "the investigation into the fire remains ongoing and no cause of fire has been determined at this time."
As the family reels from the loss, they face the reality of funeral costs and finding a new place to live.
Childs says the community has come together to help raise funds and gathering donations.
"Just a lot of people reaching out and sending donations," she said. "Yesterday, my one niece had delivered a whole truck load of toys and clothing."
A statement was also issued by Chief Stacey Laforme of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation saying in part, "we are all connected, we are all feeling the pain of this tragedy."
They’re also collecting financial donations for the family and say, when the time if right, they will collect clothing and other household items.
"Everybody’s pulling together," said Childs. "Cousins, my cousins, my neighbors, everybody’s pulling together and reaching out."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
'Sophisticated' cyberattacks detected on B.C. government networks, premier says
There has been a "sophisticated" cybersecurity breach detected on B.C. government networks, Premier David Eby confirmed Wednesday evening.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs to start for Canucks in Game 1 vs. Oilers
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs will start in net for the Canucks as Vancouver kicks off a second-round series against the Edmonton Oilers Wednesday night.
Nijjar murder suspect says he had Canadian study permit in immigration firm's video
One of the Indian nationals accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar says in a social media video that he received a Canadian study permit with the help of an Indian immigration consultancy.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.