(Laval) The funeral of one of the two children killed after a bus crashed into a daycare center in Laval on Wednesday will take place on Thursday.
Four-year-old Jacob Gauthier was identified in an obituary posted online and officials at Ste-Rose-de-Lima Church have confirmed that the funeral is scheduled for 11 a.m. Thursday.
The identity of the second young victim has not been made public.
The tragedy at the Sainte-Rose Educational Daycare left two dead and sent six other children to hospital with injuries that doctors said were not life-threatening.
Michel Bouchard, the parish priest, told various media on Friday that he had baptized the boy about three years ago and would now preside over his funeral.
The funeral home notice says Jacob was four and a half years old and is survived by his mother, father, sister as well as grandparents and other extended family members.
The bus crash left a community shaken and distressed. Some gathered to attend a special mass Friday at the church in honor of the victims, the injured, their families and the staff of the daycare.
The church has been a gathering place for the community seeking solace after Wednesday’s attack.
“This drama has put us to the test deeply, which makes us ask ourselves questions about life and the meaning of life, declared Mr. Bouchard to those gathered. And yet, life is the most important thing. »
Montreal’s Sainte-Justine Children’s Hospital announced on Thursday that two of the injured children had been released from its care, and on Friday it had no update on the other two children still hospitalized. Officials at the Laval Integrated Health and Social Services Center did not immediately respond to a message requesting an update on the two children hospitalized at the Cité-de-la-Santé hospital.
Pierre Ny St-Amand, a 51-year-old driver with the Société de transport de Laval, was arrested at the scene and later charged with two counts of first-degree murder as well as seven other counts, including one attempted murder and aggravated assault. His case returns to court next Friday.
Police have not yet identified a motive for the driver’s action.