Paul Lefebvre responds after child dies in Minnow Lake, Sudbury Star
sudbury star Mayor Paul Lefebvre said he was heartbroken after a young child died following an accident at the end of the school day Tuesday in Minnow Lake. Greater Sudbury Police said a child on foot was struck at the Palace Place Co-Op shortly after school ended.
Police said the case is under investigation by its Integrated Traffic Safety Unit. Eyewitnesses said the collision happened during bus drop-offs in front of families, including children, shortly before 3:30 p.m.
Paul Lefebvre posts condolences
Lefebvre wrote on social media: "Absolutely heartbroken to learn of the tragic loss of a young child following an accident at the end of the school day earlier today (Tuesday) on the way home," He added, "On behalf of the City of Greater Sudbury, I want to extend my deepest condolences to the child’s family, friends, classmates, educators and everyone impacted by this devastating tragedy."
He also said, "We are holding all those affected in our thoughts, including the first responders at the scene and asking everyone to keep the family in their hearts during this unimaginable time." The mayor’s message named the groups closest to the loss: the child’s family, classmates, educators and the crews who arrived first.
Palace Place Co-Op in Minnow Lake
Palace Place Co-operative Homes has 50 townhouses for families and is on Second Avenue in Minnow Lake, behind Holy Redeemer Church. A neighbour posted that a little girl about 5 years old got off the bus and was struck by a car, and said she passed away shortly after.
The neighbour wrote, "Approximately 345. A little girl about 5 years old got off the bus and was struck by a car and passed away shortly after."
The location places the collision in a family housing complex where school-day drop-offs and pickups are part of the routine. The timing, shortly after the end of school, is what set the scene for parents, children and drivers to be in the same area at once.
Greater Sudbury Police investigation
Greater Sudbury Police said its Integrated Traffic Safety Unit is investigating. The force has released little information about the incident so far, leaving the public with only the basic facts of where and when the child was struck.
If the death is counted in the city’s 2026 toll, it would be at least the fourth pedestrian death in Greater Sudbury this year. That total includes a 59-year-old woman struck while crossing the road and killed on Jan. 29, a 46-year-old woman pronounced dead at the scene after a hit-and-run, and Grace Ranger, 17, who died after being hit.
For families in Minnow Lake, the immediate next step is the police investigation now underway at Palace Place Co-Op, where the child was struck and where witnesses said the collision unfolded in front of other families.
