Family Of Four Including Toddler Found Frozen To Death Near US-Canada Border

The Canadian authorities have revealed the identities of the Indian family of four who were found frozen to death in a field near the Canada/US border.

The bodies of 39-year-old Jagdishkumar Patel, his 37-year-old wife, Vaishaliben Patel, their 11-year-daughter, Vihangi Patel, and 3-year-old son, Dharmik Patel, were discovered in a field at Emerson, Manitoba, on Jan. 19, by Manitoba Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

Following the autopsies, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner of Manitoba confirmed that the cause of death was due to exposure to extreme weather conditions.

The Patel family, natives of the Dingucha village in the Indian state of Gujarat, migrated to Canada and had been moving around the country for a period of time before they were driven to the border by someone, authorities said.

"We can confirm that on Jan. 12, 2022, the Patel family arrived in Toronto, Canada. From Toronto, the family made their way to Emerson on, or about, Jan. 18, 2022," the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) said on their website.

Since a vehicle was not recovered, the police are trying to determine how the Patel family traveled from Toronto to Emerson.

"There was no abandoned vehicle located on the Canadian side of the border. This indicates that someone drove the family to the border and then left the scene," RCMP said, adding that they are looking for "anyone that may have had encounters with them."

On Jan. 19, American authorities had arrested, 47-year old Steve Shand, a "suspected smuggler of undocumented foreign nationals", near the US/Canadian border for transporting two Indian nationals, who were illegally present in the US.

Investigators believe the Patel family was part of a group trying to walk across the international border into the U.S. but got separated from the rest during a blizzard.

"With what we know so far of their activities in Canada, along with the arrest that occurred in the United States, we believe this to be a case of human smuggling," they said.

The family was unable to make ends meet from their farm income, especially after incurring severe financial losses from their small retail shop in their village. They decided to leave their country and migrate to America in search of a better life, a relative of the victims said.

"The couple felt they were struggling to run their home and the kids needed better education.… They decided to leave India because they failed to find a good job here," Sanjay Patel, a cousin of the victim who lives in Dingucha, told Reuters.

An Indian police official investigating the case said Jagadish was one among tens of thousands who reluctant to take up menial jobs that they consider beneath their social standing and immigrate to the West seeking better jobs.

"The Patel community has historically chosen to settle abroad, but now we are seeing an increased number of cases where people are willing to sell their land, gold just to find a way to live in Canada or America," the official, Ajay Parmar, told Reuters.

"Everyone wants better jobs and those are not easily available in India."

According to reports, the bodies of the victims will not be flown back to their home in India.

"No one is ready to speak [about] anything or they are also not in a condition to speak," Jagdish's cousin, Jashwant Patel, said in the video provided by Reuters.

"The bodies will not be brought here and the last rites will be performed in Canada."

The Indian High Commission said the tragedy has highlighted the issues of safe and legal migration.

"On longer term issues that this tragedy has brought into focus (is) the need to ensure that migration and mobility are made safe and legal and that such tragedies do not recur," the High Commission said

"People-to-people relations are an important pillar of India-Canada bilateral relations. Canada is a preferred destination for Indian immigrants and students. India and Canada work together to ensure the safety and well-being of all Indian immigrants into Canada. The two countries have a regular consular dialogue which takes up issues related to migration and welfare of citizens in each other’s territories," the High Commission said.