Documents shed light on student deaths at Alberta residential school where potential unmarked graves are under investigation

Archival records documenting student deaths, deteriorating conditions and disease outbreaks at Sturgeon Lake Residential School are being revisited

Ninah Hermiston

6 Jul 2026 • 4 min read

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Two Indigenous girls with short curled hair and plaid school uniforms stand in front of Sturgeon Lake Residential School in Alberta.

Two school girls chat in front of Sturgeon Lake Residential School. The date of the photograph and the children's identities are unknown. (National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation)

Ninah Hermiston

Ninah is an early-career reporter based in Toronto, currently focused on the Residential Schools database. She has previously worked as an associate producer at CBC Kids News and served as a social media manager for various organizations.

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