Duncan McCue of CBC travelled to Penelakut, an island off the coast of B.C., and the site of the Kuper Island Residential School. The community has torn down the reviled building, but the dark memories of what happened at the nearly-century old institution linger. Survivors James and Tony Charlie gave him  a tour of their old school grounds, and they looked into the mystery of what happened to one boy, Richard Thomas, who did not make it out alive. He died at age 15. He was he was the brother of Belvie I blogged about earlier.

The only thing that was certain about Richard’s death was that it was not caused by natural causes. Richard was found dead hanging from a rope thrown over a light fixture where the students discovered the body. Some children suspected the priest who had been regularly mean to Richard for some reason also killed him. Others think Richard was driven to suicide by the intolerable repeated abuse that he suffered. The priest was charged with sexual assault in another case, but died before the trial.

The first few years at the school Richard actually wanted to become a priest. That was a big deal. Indigenous people rarely had such aspirations.

However, Richard’s enthusiasm for the priesthood dwindled after a few years in school. Days before his graduation from Kuper Island, Richard phoned home and let his family know how excited he was about his graduation. He also said when he got home he was going to talk about everything at the school. He did not say what it was.  His family never heard from him again. Two days later the police called and told the family Richard had committed suicide. They didn’t believe it. Why would a boy who was so excited about his graduation commit suicide so close to the glorious event? It made no sense.

The coroner told them it didn’t seem right and suggested they look into it.

Richard and Belvie’s mother tried to find out from the Oblates, a religious order who ran the school at Kuper Island. She was told, “You have heard all you’re going to hear.” People had told McCue that the reason Richard was upset was that he had heard his parents were divorcing. This was not true. They were never divorcing. They remained together.

Another story circulated through the school that Richard had been killed. Given the circumstances this made sense. Belvie believed Richard was murdered. Much of the podcast series by the CBC explores what happened to Richard Thomas.