Manitoba RCMP are continuing to investigate the deaths of three children, two women

Manitoba RCMP are continuing to investigate the deaths of five people, including three children, who they say died in separate but related incidents.

The investigation began Sunday when police were called to an area outside Carmen, southwest of Winnipeg, to find a woman lying in a ditch.

About 2.5 hours later and about 70 kilometers to the north, officers were called to a report of a vehicle on fire and a witness said three children had been pulled out of it.

The children were pronounced dead, and police arrested a 29-year-old man at the scene, but they did not specify his relationship to the dead or what charges he would face.

A subsequent investigation led officers to a home in Carmen where they found the body of another woman inside.

Carmen Mayor Brent Owen said the close-knit community of about 3,000 was devastated to learn of the tragic events.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published on February 12, 2024.