The RCMP in Alberta reported a tragic incident where a family of three, last seen before Christmas on a side-by-side utility terrain vehicle, was found deceased. The family, identified as Kelly and Laura Pelsma and their eight-year-old son, Dylan, were reported missing on Christmas Day when they failed to attend a scheduled function. They had last been in contact on December 23, and were last seen in the Birchwood Estates area of Alberta Beach.
The search efforts, which included the RCMP, local firefighters, and an underwater recovery team, focused on an area near the Alexis Bridge, off Range Road 40A. The bodies of the Pelsma family were ultimately recovered, marking a distressing turn of events during the holiday season.
This incident has cast a somber mood over the community, with RCMP describing the loss as “truly devastating over the holidays.” In light of this tragedy, the RCMP has issued a reminder to outdoor enthusiasts about the importance of ice safety, emphasizing that ice should be at least 15 centimeters thick for individual activities, 20 centimeters for groups, and 25 centimeters for snowmobiling or using off-highway vehicles.
Autopsies are scheduled to be conducted later this week at the Chief Medical Examiner’s office in Edmonton to determine the exact cause of death for the three family members.
