Three years later, a Manitoba couple’s sadness turned to anger as they watched another family endure the same devastation they felt when their infant son drowned in Whiteshell Provincial Park.
12-year-old Usaid Habib slipped off the rocks near Sturgeon Falls on Nutimik Lake in May 2023 and fell into the water. He was carried away into the rapids.
His father, Muhammad Danish Habib, previously told CBC News the whole family was there to see him drown but could do nothing for him.
“It happened in just a microsecond. He took off his shoes and touched the water and was swept away,” his mother, Urooj Danish, told CBC News this week, speaking publicly about his death for the first time.
“He was my life.”
CBC spoke to Dane before the body of a boy who recently fell into the water near the falls was discovered Wednesday evening.
Aaron Au Ramirez, 13, and Maximo Au Ramirez, 10, had been living at Nutimik Lodge since Saturday when Maximo slipped off the rocks into the fast current. His brother jumped after him, RCMP said.
A search for the two boys began soon after, involving the Manitoba RCMP Underwater Recovery Team, the Hatterian Aquatic Emergency Response Team and volunteers in boats.
The body of 10-year-old Maximo Au Ramirez was found Wednesday on the shores of Lake Nutimik. The search for his older brother continues. (Submitted by Allison Baker-Thiessen)
Maximo’s body was found near the lake shore, RCMP confirmed.
“Now I’m even angrier. I’m furious. Why wasn’t anything done to prevent all this? – Danish asked.
“We have already suffered. I don’t think anyone else should have to suffer.”
The weekend incident and subsequent search brought back unwanted memories for Usaid’s parents.
“It seems like yesterday,” the boy’s father said.
“It just brings back all the memories and even stills and photographs of that particular moment.”
The body of a 38-year-old woman was found in the same lake last year after she slipped off the rocks and fell into the current, RCMP said.
Usaid’s parents say they are surprised by the lack of efforts to improve security at the site since their son died three years ago.
His mother hoped that a barrier would be installed to keep people from getting too close to the slippery rocks, or that a lifeguard could be hired during the summer months, when most people visit the site.
The province has posted signs advising against swimming and rock diving, as well as warnings about slippery or hidden rocks, strong currents and steep drop-offs.
Danish believes this is not enough as her family was not fully aware of the risks.
“Do you think children read signs?” she asked. “The parents know… but we told them there are no plans to swim.”
Dane Habib suggests putting something on the rocks to make them less slippery. He would like to see the trail closed to prevent further tragedies until steps can be taken to make the area safer.
“In this particular place, we have seen so many tragedies in the past, but nothing was done,” the father said.
“How many people do you want to die before you (the provincial government) do something?”
“It’s too late to do anything, but do something so this never happens again.”
Mike Moyes, the provincial minister of environment and climate change, says he is awaiting the site assessment report, expected to arrive at his desk in the coming days, before deciding what safety improvements need to be made at the site.
“I would say we need to make improvements. So we’re going to be looking at a whole range of different upgrades and they’re all being factored into the site assessment and risk assessment,” he said.
Moyes says they have discussed the possibility of installing a barrier in the area and that this is part of their “assessments”, although no decisions have been made yet.
“I can’t commit to a report that I haven’t seen yet,” he said.
“We’re focused on trying to support, as I said, the RCMP and first responders as best we can until, you know, recovery is achieved.”
Usaid’s mother says he was kind, smart, helpful and “just a normal kid, full of life.” (Presented by Uroy Danish)
Usaid’s mother knows how the Au Ramirez brothers’ mother feels.
“I know what she went through,” Danish said. “At this moment you don’t even have the strength to feel anything. It’s devastating.”
Danish described her son as a kind, intelligent and helpful person and said everyone in their community knew him, often volunteering with the Islamic Association of Manitoba and participating in fundraisers.
“He was just a normal kid, full of life,” she said.
“It brings back everything we don’t want to remember all the time, but we’re helpless.”