'Feeling the loss': Manitoba Interlake community reflects on infant's death after RCMP identify remains

GYPSUMVILLE, MB -

A community in Manitoba’s Interlake region is still in shock after RCMP identified the remains of a baby girl Friday.

Back in June, human remains were found on a property just off Highway 6 in the RM of Grahamdale. Nearly five months later, the remains have been identified as Xavia Skye Lynn Butler, who police believe was between one and two years old when she died.

RCMP said her remains were found in a barn on the property.

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The barn where Xavia was found was painted a few weeks later, owner Natascha Kitchur told CTV News in an interview Saturday.

“It is close to home,” Kitchur said. “It’s my backyard, it’s my children’s yard. I have two children and I could never imagine one of them not being here today.”

Kitchur said her husband’s family bought the barn and surrounding land several decades ago from Xavia’s grandfather, Henry Rawluk. She confirmed Rawluk still lives in the home on the neighbouring property.

Human remains were found on a property just off Highway 6 in the RM of Grahamdale in June. (CTV News Winnipeg)

“I would say about two weeks after everything had come to play, the remains were found in our barn, we held a vigil,” Kitchur recalled. She said after the vigil, she and her husband were approached by Xavia’s uncle, who asked that they do something with the barn to honour his niece.

“We decided to go with painting the barn orange in light of all missing and murdered Indigenous children around the world,” Kitchur said, adding the words “Every Child Matters” were painted on the roof.

The barn where Xavia Butler's remains were found has been painted orange as a tribute. (Alexandra Holyk/CTV News Winnipeg)

Xavia was a member of Pinaymootang First Nation, located a few kilometres south of where her remains were found.

Even though her remains were found in June, Kitchur said the community continues to grieve.

“The community is definitely feeling it,” she said. “Pinaymootang First Nation and all of its community members are also feeling the loss.

“We’re at our knees where we’re wondering how such a beautiful soul could just be gone, how someone that couldn’t fight for themselves was taken too soon,” said Kitchur.

Xavia Skye Lynn Butler is seen in an undated photo (Natalie Anderson)

Others said they still can’t believe what happened.

“It was shocking,” one neighbour said. “You would never ever think that something like that could happen.”

RCMP are still investigating and are asking the public to help build a timeline of Xavia’s life past March 2022. Anyone with information or pictures are asked to contact the RCMP major crime services.

- With files from CTV’s Devon McKendrick and Charles Lefebvre