Teen’s dream ends in frozen field

By Alexandra Paul
Winnipeg Free Press

WINNIPEG, M.B. — Relatives of a troubled teenage boy who left the North to start a new life on a military base are in shock after learning Kingsley Redhead is dead of exposure.

The 15-year-old from Shamattawa First Nation moved to Canadian Forces Base Shilo in December to stay with an uncle who is posted on the base, Redhead’s aunt, Nancy Thomas, said from Shamattawa, 320 kilometres northeast of Thompson.

Redhead’s body was found near the schoolyard on the base by someone walking a dog Sunday morning. He had last been seen on his way to a sleepover Saturday night.

“All I can say is, it was a shock,” said the teen’s aunt.
There was no word on funeral arrangements Monday night.
Brandon RCMP don’t suspect foul play. But they can’t explain why the teen wasn’t dressed for the extreme cold. Temperatures had plunged to -30 C Saturday night and, with the wind chill, it felt like -40.

Police are still investigating the death and a spokeswoman for CFB Shilo, Lori Truscott, said military authorities are also looking into it.

Redhead is the third person known to have frozen to death in Manitoba since Jan. 1, and the second to be found on Sunday.

That same day, Winnipeg police found a naked man frozen to death in an open field in St. Norbert. His clothes were folded neatly in a pile beside him.

On Jan. 2, a 74-year-old man froze to death after he went outside a nursing home for a cigarette.

Redhead was the baby of the family and had seen hard times in his short life, said Thomas.

The boy had wanted to leave Shamattawa for months, ever since his sister had been found murdered last January.

His older brother had committed suicide some years before.

“He was still grieving his late sister. It has not even been a year. He’d wanted to go to Shilo to get away from Shamattawa,” the aunt said.

Thomas said her nephew moved to Shilo because he admired an uncle in the military there. He wondered if the military life might help him too.

The remote northern Cree community has battled a solvent abuse epidemic for decades.

Redhead was determined it wouldn’t claim him, Thomas said.

“He use to sniff gas before... He stopped sniffing when his late sister was beaten (to death),” Thomas said.

Abby Redhead was 15 when her body was found in the northern community.

It’s believed she was hit with a piece of wood during an altercation. A 16-year-old girl was arrested a short time after Redhead’s body was discovered. It’s believed both girls were sniffing gasoline or another solvent throughout the day.

For the younger brother, the sister’s death was a profound wake-up call, the aunt said.

Redhead signed up for an extensive treatment program to kick his habit.