One year since bus crashed into Laval daycare, killed two children

It’s been exactly a year since a bus crashed into a daycare, the Garderie Éducative Sainte-Rose in Laval, north of Montreal. 

Two children were killed and another six were injured on Feb. 8, 2023. The tragedy sent shockwaves across Quebec and the tight-knit community of Sainte-Rose.

The lives of four-year-old Jacob Gauthier and five-year-old Maëva David were cut short that day. 

In a written statement, Nancy Gschwender, the owner of the Sainte-Rose daycare says the whole community has been affected by the tragedy, “Feb. 8, 2023 remains and will remain etched in our memories and hearts forever. I think of Jacob, Maëva and their families. My thoughts are also with the other little butterflies in the group and their families, the daycare team, the children, the parents and our entire community.”

To mark the anniversary Thursday, a private event with daycare staff members and families took place in the morning.

Gschwender says she is grateful for the support throughout the last year. 

“I’m proud of my team,” she said. “Despite the sadness and fatigue, we weathered the storm and continued to provide quality services to our families. The well-being of children remained the priority.”

André Beaudoin, a father of two who helped pull children from under the bus the morning of the crash, said seeing the victims’ families helps with the grieving process. He was present for the commemorative ceremonies Thursday.

He said he still remembers raising his head and seeing the bus roll past him in the parking lot as he was unbuckling his son’s seatbelt on the morning of Feb. 8, 2023.

He was one of the first people to respond and help the children there.

“I met some families today that I’ve never seen, children that I saved, the parents and stuff that I didn’t know who they were,” he said. “It was hard, but it’s nice to see them expressing their love. It helps us to go on with life.”

At 10:30 a.m. two white balloons were released into the sky at the Rivière-des-Mille-Îles park not far from the daycare. It was the daycare’s only public commemoration.

“It’s a symbol, it was just nice to do it and then we saw that two birds were flying away at the same time as it was,” Beaudoin said. “It was magical, it was nice to see. It gave us peace inside.”

But Beaudoin said the day was sad and overwhelming.

“All the people that work at the daycare, it’s a big family, big community, so we just wanted to be there for everyone.”

Since the attack on the daycare, the building has been fortified with concrete barriers outside.

The administration is asking for the public not to leave flowers or stuffed animals outside the building, but rather encourage donations to the Cité de la Santé or Sainte-Justine hospital Foundations.

“We continue on our way despite these difficult times, while continuing to shine the light of our little butterflies, which we will never forget,” said Gschwender.

Flags lowered in memory

Flags have been lowered at Laval city hall, police stations, and fire stations to honour the victims of the event and “to show its respect and solidarity with all those affected,” said Stéphane Boyer, Mayor of Laval, in a press release on Thursday.

“Although this sad day awakens in us the pain and sadness felt on the day of the tragedy, I also remember the many expressions of solidarity, mutual aid and empathy that were expressed by the Laval community towards the families affected. It is also very important for me to recognize the exceptional work accomplished by all municipal departments, as well as by our many partners and Laval organizations, during and after this difficult ordeal that has marked us forever. In memory of the victims of this tragedy, let us continue to be present and attentive to our fellow man, let us remember and support each other!”

On Thursday morning, Quebec Premier François Legault said in a press briefing, “I just want to wish them a lot of courage, because, as a parent myself, I can’t imagine losing a child. So, it’s terrible, and I just have my thoughts with parents, with the workers, with the people arriving first. Some of them told me, when I went to Laval, that it was terrible to see what happened.”

Christopher Skeete the Quebec MNA for Sainte-Rose and Minister responsible for the Laval region was on-hand for the ceremony Thursday.

“Everybody thinks that when they’re going to drop off their kid at the daycare, that they’re gonna be there when they come home, that didn’t happen a year ago,” he said. “It’s a rare event, but it’s still frightening as a parent to think of a moment where you get a phone call and your kid isn’t safe, and I think we can all as parents recognize the fear that would immediately inhabit us if ever we had a call like that. And there’s two parents who got those calls and the worst happened.”

For Samir Alahmad, the president of the Private Daycare Association of Quebec, the memories of that day are still heartbreaking.

“We work with children, I have a daycare not far from here, I spent my life working with daycares,” he said. “I have children, I have grandchildren. That can happen to anybody, because nobody is immune for something like that, which is very, very, very sad.”

Bus route diverted for the day out of respect

The Société de transport de Laval (STL) said that for today, they will not have the bus for route 151 that drives by the daycare operate and are diverting away from there – out of respect.

“Considering the sensitive nature of the commemoration of the February 8, 2023 tragedy, the management of the daycare concerned has asked the STL to keep its distance from the site of the event out of respect for those wishing to pay their respects. We are therefore committed to ensuring that the Société’s representatives and employees respect their wishes on this sad day.”

“A shared taxi service will therefore be offered to our clients as a replacement for the 151, all day on February 8, 2024.” The bus stops affected are located on Terrasse Dufferin, between boulevard Sainte-Rose and rue Jacques-Cartier.

Hearing for bus driver

Pierre Ny St-Amand faces nine charges, including two counts of first-degree murder. 

St-Amand’s preliminary hearing is set to begin March 25. Prosecutors have said they plan to call 10 witnesses – civilians, a psychiatrist, and members of the accused’s family – during the four-day hearing.

His defence lawyer plans to challenge those two charges on the grounds that his client did not have the necessary criminal intent.

The hearing will determine whether there is enough evidence to proceed to trial.

The 51-year-old St-Amand remains detained at Montreal’s Institut Philippe-Pinel.

“There’s still the trial, so it’s not finished yet,” says Beaudoin, as he’ll need to relive the experience once again since he is called as a witness.

Until then, the ceremony brought comfort to the community. 

“It’s just to go on with the year and it’s in the past and we’re just going to try and move on.”

-With files from the Canadian Press