'No child should have to die like that': Winnipeg woman remembers 12-year-old son who died following stabbing
A Winnipeg woman is remembering her son after he died in an altercation last week.
Joni Gabriel said her 12-year-old son, Sanchez Boulanger, was the one who died on June 18 after an altercation broke out in the 200 block of Burrows Avenue.
Police said Boulanger was stabbed and died in hospital from his injuries.
Gabriel said her family is still trying to cope since Sanchez died.
"(We're) tired, it's stressful. The kids are like processing it. I'm just like, tired and trying to process it too, and I'm confused," said Gabriel.
She said when she has been going through the stages of grief since his death.
"At first I was sad, but now I'm just getting angry, but I am trying not to be angry, I'm just trying to work through it."
Gabriel said her son was a quiet, well-mannered kid, who liked hanging out with his friends, listening to music, and playing Fortnite.
Remembering June 18, Gabriel said her son told her that he was going to go hang out with his girlfriend earlier in the day but he wouldn't specify where.
She said she didn't know anything had happened until she received a call that her other son was also in hospital.
Gabriel first went into the hospital to see her other son Caesar and when she saw him, that's when she was told Sanchez was in the other room.
"They said he wasn't doing too good…They took me to another room and told me to sit down and holding my arm and then she said, 'The doctor needs to come to talk to you, he was stabbed in the heart.'"
Gabriel said Sanchez's sibiling have taken his death hard.
She added she still has questions about the investigation and wonders if more people were involved in Sanchez's death.
"No child should have to die like that."
A vigil was held to honour Sanchez Wednesday night.
The event, which was hosted by the First Nation Indigenous Warriors, was held near where the altercation happened last week on Burrows Avenue between Main Street and Charles Street.
Several members of the community attended the vigil where prayers were said for Sanchez and his family, and drummers performed.
A small shrine has also been started near the scene to remember Sanchez, which features a picture of him, along with well-wishes and stuffed animals.
HOMICIDE SUSPECT RELEASED FROM CUSTODY
Following Sanchez's death, police arrested a 19-year-old woman on June 21 and she was charged with manslaughter.
CTV News learned through court records that Shania Ann-Marie Pearl Pirrie was released from jail on June 22.
She must follow specific conditions during her release, including attending court and living at an address provided to the court.
She is not allowed to live at a different address unless she has permission, she can't contact four specific people and she is not allowed to own or possess any firearm or weapon.
The charges against her have not been proven in court and the homicide unit continues to investigate.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
NEW Iconic Canadian song turns 50
Andy Kim's 'Rock Me Gently' is marking a major milestone, as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Oprah Winfrey: I set an unrealistic standard for dieting
Oprah Winfrey said on Thursday evening that she has long played a role in promoting unhealthy and unrealistic diets.
Flat tire on a highway? Here's why you shouldn't try to fix it
If you're cruising down a highway and realize you have a flat tire, you may want to think twice before stopping to fix it on the side of the road.
Whooping cough outbreak declared in Newfoundland
Health officials say there is an outbreak of whooping cough in eastern Newfoundland.
Broadcaster and commentator Rex Murphy dead at 77: National Post
The National Post is reporting that Rex Murphy, the pundit and columnist who hosted a national call-in radio show for decades, has died.
Miss Teen USA steps down just days after Miss USA's resignation
Miss Teen USA resigned Wednesday, sending further shock waves through the pageant community just days after Miss USA said she would relinquish her crown.
NEW How Canadians can watch the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest
Europe’s top pop stars are out and about for the 68th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest, taking place in Malmo, Sweden.