Three people charged in alleged abuse of 17 children on Manitoba First Nation

May 23, 2019 | 12:41 PM

GARDEN HILL FIRST NATION, Man. — Two men and a foster mother have been charged after an investigation found at least 17 children were abused on a Manitoba First Nation.

Supt. Michael Koppang of the RCMP says three children on the Garden Hill First Nation alleged they were abused in 2017.

Paul Bruce Harper, who is 21, was arrested but officers learned he had access to a foster home and 150 children had contact with him.

After an 11-month investigation, police determined the 14 other children — ages three to 15 — were victims of sexual and physical abuse between 2011 and 2017.

Harper and a 20-year-old man, who cannot be named because the alleged offences happened when he was a youth, face multiple charges of sexual assault and sexual interference.

Lucy Harper, who is 66, has been charged with perjury and failure to report a child in need of protection.

Koppang called for any others who may have been victims to contact RCMP.

The Canadian Press