A family with two young children was discovered in a state of hypothermia

A family with two young children was discovered in a state of hypothermia after attempting to cross the Canadian border.


A family of four, including two toddlers, has been hospitalized following their attempt to cross the Canadian border in Havelock, Quebec.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) received a late-night call on Thursday from the Sûreté du Québec (SQ) seeking assistance in locating the family, who had become disoriented while trying to enter Canada.

According to Martina Pillarova, a spokesperson for the RCMP, the family, consisting of a one-year-old and a two-year-old, was lost in the woods for several hours before the mother made the decision to call 911. "After an extensive search operation, they were located at 4:15 a.m.," she stated to CTV News.

Pillarova described the moment officers found the family, noting that they were huddled under a tree. "They were exhausted and unable to move. They were freezing and attempting to keep the children warm," she explained, emphasizing that the family was inadequately dressed for the harsh Canadian winter conditions. "While they had coats, they lacked suitable footwear, gloves, and other necessary winter attire."

Firefighters responded to the 911 call regarding the lost family on Friday, March 7, 2025, after their crossing from the United States into Canada. Pillarova mentioned that officers provided the family with hats and coats to help keep them warm while awaiting paramedics. "They were in such a state that we could not move them," she added.

The family was subsequently transported to a hospital in Châteauguay, Quebec, for treatment of hypothermia, but their lives are not deemed to be in danger. The RCMP clarified that the family entered Canada from the United States but has origins from another country. They currently lack legal status in Canada and have applied for refugee status.

The document has been submitted to the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).

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