Alberta boy laid to rest day after caregiver charged with murder

The life of seven-month-old Oaklan Reid Cunningham was celebrated and his death was mourned at a funeral in the Driftpile Cree Nation Tuesday afternoon.

Oaklan died at a hospital in High Prairie on Oct. 6. His dayhome caregiver, 29-year-old Kyra Renee Backs, was charged with second-degree murder on Monday.

In Driftpile, near the shores of Alberta's Lesser Slave Lake, several men drummed and sang as a tiny casket was loaded into a hearse.

"On the inside I've been constantly crying since the day I held his lifeless body in my arms," his mother Shonda Desjarlias told CTV News Edmonton.

Desjarlais said her boy had a large bump on his head when she held his lifeless body at the hospital.

"Oaklan, yes he was special. He brought a lot of joy to us. Like I said, he changed our world and he just changed it again," said his grandfather Karl Giroux.

Teddy bears and candles filled the room for the service. The community hall was silent as a slideshow of Oaklan's photos was shown. There were also "Justice for Oaklan" signs among the flowers and other tributes.

The funeral for Oaklan Reid Cunningham was held in Driftpile, Alta., on October 18, 2022 (Darcy Seaton/CTV News Edmonton).

Oaklan was known for his big smile and willingness to show affection to family members. Desjarlais said he also had a big personality.

"He would rough me whenever he could. Right in the morning too, he would not hesitate to tackle me, come put his cold feet on me," she said with a smile.

Desjarlais vowed to be in the courtroom when Backs makes an appearance on Oct. 24.

RCMP have asked any families with concerns about Backs' dayhome, or anyone who has used her services in the past, to contact the High Prairie detachment at 780-523-3378.

With files from CTV News Edmonton's Joe Scarpelli