Red Lake hosts vigils, ceremonies for two young boys killed in house fire

The Red Lake community is grieving two young boys who died in a house fire there last week, while their mother stands charged with the abuse and neglect of their younger brother.

Remi and Tristan Stately, ages 6 and 5, died following the house fire March 15, the day their youngest brother Ethan, 3, was the subject of a statewide Amber Alert. Their mother, Jennifer Stately, 35, has been charged with abuse, neglect and torture in Todd County after deputies arrested her shortly after the alert was issued and found the toddler covered in wounds.

Jennifer Stately remains in custody in Todd County jail.

The FBI is leading the investigation into the house fire and declined repeated requests to provide any additional information. Officials would not say if the fatal house fire and Amber Alert are connected.

Red Lake fire and police departments are deferring all questions to the FBI.

The Todd County Attorney’s Office declined to comment beyond the criminal charges and wouldn’t say if further charges were pending against Stately.

“It would be a very slow process for his healing,” hospital staff said of the toddler, according to charges. Staff said the wounds were not a skin condition and could be from a burn caused by heat or chemicals.

According to their obituaries, the brothers “travelled to the spirit world on March 16.” They were members of the Eagle Clan who granted their names Remi Leland Stately, Manidoo Inini “Spirit Man” and Tristan Collin Stately, Manidoo Gwiiwizens “Spirit Boy.”

Both boys were born in Bemidji to Jennifer Stately and Brian Graves Jr. The obituaries, shared Friday morning by Red Lake Nation News, describe their personalities and interests.

“Remi was a smart, funny, loving little boy who loved to play with his brothers, Tristan and Ethan. He loved Jessie from Toy Story and Molly from Bubble Guppies.”

“Tristan was an outgoing spirited little boy who loved playing with his brothers, Remi and Ethan. He loved anything “Sonic” and was protector of his brothers, even though he was the middle child.”

Red Lake Schools Superintendent Tim Lutz said the brothers were in Head Start and first grade.

He said the school district was already planning to host a healing ceremony to commemorate the 19th anniversary of the Red Lake school shooting, but Lutz said they combined it “to pay respect and to support each other in the wake of the death of those two children.”

“We wanted to provide support for staff and our students who are aware of what happened with Tristan and Remi, but also getting ready for the remembrance of the shooting,” Lutz said in a phone interview this week.

Thursday marked the anniversary of Minnesota’s deadliest school shooting in 2005 when Jeff Weise, 16, shot his grandfather, Red Lake police officer Daryl Lussier, and his companion, Michelle Sigana, before driving Lussier’s squad car to the high school. He shot security guard Derrick Brun, teacher Neva Rogers and five ninth-graders: Chase Lussier, Thurlene Stillday, Chanelle Rosebear, Alicia Spike and Dewayne Lewis.

Lutz said the ceremony in the middle of the school day for the Stately brothers was healing.

“People have been saying that they felt it was done well and was a positive experience,” he said. “While we want it to be a healing opportunity, we at the same time don’t want to further traumatize people either.”

Also on Thursday, a walk of remembrance was held throughout Red Lake followed by a candlelight vigil at the new community center. A staff member there said the family has asked for everyone to respect their privacy at this time.

A traditional wake began at noon Friday and will continue until Sunday morning.