The migrants who froze to death in Manitoba had arrived from India on January 12
These four migrants froze to death near the Canada-US border last week.
The High Commission of India in Canada also confirmed their identity on Thursday.
They are a 39-year-old man, Jagdish Baldevbhai Patel, his wife, Vaishaliben Jagdishkumar Patel, 37, their 11-year-old daughter, Vihangi Jagdishkumar Patel and their son, Dharmik Jagdishkumar Patel, aged 3 years.
According to police information, the Patel family arrived in Canada at Toronto airport on January 12. She then traveled to Emerson around 18 January.
Since there was no abandoned vehicle on the Canadian side, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police RCMP believe the family was escorted back to the Canada-US border near Emerson, where they were allegedly dropped off, the carrier said. word of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police RCMP in Manitoba, Sergeant Paul Manaigre.
Everything indicates that it is a case of human smuggling, according to the police.
Police are trying to trace the family's journey
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police RCMP is trying to trace their journey in Canada, over a period of six days, and asks for the help of people who may have seen them in hotels, gas stations or restaurants, for example.
Are there any stores, restaurants, places where this family would stop to buy food or diapers for the child?
There are people who have seen them.
We ask them to call us to provide us with information
, asked Sergeant Manaigre.
People with information can contact the Manitoba RCMP Major Crimes Unit at (431) 488-8551 or get in touch with Crime Stoppers.
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Following autopsies performed on Wednesday, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police RCMP were also able to confirm that the four family members died of hypothermia.
Police initially identified the victims as a man, a woman, a teenager and a baby. On Thursday, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police RCMP apologized for the initial misidentification of one of the victims and for the delay before autopsies could be performed. Identifying the bodies was made difficult because they were frozen and all bundled up, police said.
This field near where the 4 victims were found frozen to death shows the harsh conditions of the Manitoba expanse in winter.
Photo: Radio-Canada / Trevor Lyons
Last Thursday, police said they believed the family had tried to cross the border during a freezing snowstorm.
A Florida American, Steve Shand, was arrested in Minnesota that day and charged with human smuggling.
On Monday, Steve Shand appeared in court in the United States and was released on several conditions.
Police believe the group of people he allegedly tried to smuggle to the United States, all from India, included the family who froze to death.
Seven other members of the group had been in custody since their arrest in the United States.
On Thursday, six of them were released on probation. The seventh person has been released with a recognizance on humanitarian grounds, U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesman Kris Grogan said in an email.
All seven will need to report to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Service at a later date, according to Kris Grogan.
A long-term investigation
The RCMP says the ongoing investigation will take months
and includes several international partners.
The RCMP does business with liaison officers posted in New Delhi, India, and in Washington. It also works in concert with the American authorities.
Six people were also arrested in India after the discovery of the bodies in Canada.
India's High Commission in Ottawa and the country's Consulate in Toronto are also working closely with Canadian authorities on the investigation, according to a statement from the High Commission.
A special team led by a senior consular officer is in Manitoba to assist investigators and provide consular services. Sergeant Manaigre confirms that an operation is being organized to repatriate the bodies of the four victims to India.
