The community around the village of Quadeville is rallying after an eight-year-old girl was airlifted to CHEO in the wake of a suspected animal attack on the night of June 23.
The girl, who can’t be named for legal reasons, remains in stable condition in the ICU at CHEO for an indeterminate amount of time, said Joseph Fiorentino, the pastor at the Quadeville Pentacostal Church, who has been acting as the family’s spokesperson.
Fiorentino said everyone in the village, about 40 kilometres south of Barry’s Bay, knows the girl.
“When she sees you, she always approaches with a huge smile,” he said. “She has a spunky soul that is full of kindness, love for others, and spiritual curiosity. If you have had a challenging day, this little lady is going to cheer you up and make you smile. However, her smile is always bigger.”
Fiorentino refused to speculate on what kind of animal was responsible for the attack.
“The OPP will be responsible for making a statement,” he said. “It’s the big mystery. Everyone wants to know.”
The Upper Ottawa Valley detachment of the OPP has asked parents of children in the Quadeville area to keep children indoors or under close supervision.
“We are working closely with the Ministry of Natural Resources on this case,” said OPP spokesperson Bill Dickson.
“We have not yet confirmed the cause of the injuries. We will not provide specifics on the injuries, beyond the fact they were life-threatening.”
The Ministry of Natural Resources diverted questions back to the OPP.
Meanwhile, the community is working to raise funds for the girl and her family to help cover expenses related to her hospitalization, recovery and eventual homecoming. A GoFundMe with a goal of raising $5,500 exceeded that goal within 24 hours and had raised over $12,500 on June 28. A fundraising supper is to be held in the village community centre on July 5.
Quadeville is a village of about 300 people, said Fiorentino. It was not unusual for the girl to be out exploring or riding her bicycle, but after she did not return after an evening walk, her family became concerned, he said.
Soon, neighbours were enlisted to help find her, and OPP were called.
The village has a number of old buildings that were once part of a now-defunct mill yard. There is no machinery left and children often explore the buildings, said Fiorentino.
“This is a community where kids run freely. It has always been a safe community.”
As the news spread that the girl was missing, residents gathered on the village’s main street, then divided into groups to search everywhere they thought she could be.
“The community came out in droves,” said Fiorentino, who has lived in the community for seven years.
“They were walking through the creeks and the baseball field in four-wheelers and on foot and going door-to-door. It was great to see the community come together.”
The search was called off to allow the OPP K9 unit to get to work, and community members gathered at Kauffeldt’s General Store waiting for news, he said.
The girl was found shortly after midnight, said Fiorentino. The girl was taken to St. Francis Memorial Hospital in Barry’s Bay and was later airlifted to CHEO.
A spokesperson for Ornge, which provides medivac services, said on June 24 that a child was
airlifted “with critical injuries relating to reports of an animal attack.”
Fiorentino said what he witnessed on the night of the girl’s disappearance was a miracle. A group had gathered at Kauffeldt’s General Store as they waited for news from the police. A long-time resident came up to the group, a mother of three, asking if everyone had prayed yet.
“It was a plea for a miracle that the child would be found alive. About twenty minutes later, she was found and hope was renewed. We’re a faith-based community. We believe in God’s protection,” he said.
“Our community is coming together as one again, but this time to raise funds for this beautiful young child and her family.”
There will be a fundraising cold supper July 5 at the Quadeville Community Centre, 965 Addington Road, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
The
Brudenell, Lyndoch and Raglan Township f
ire department is also working on a fundraiser, to be held in the near future. There’s also a donation jar at Kauffeldt’s General Store.
