Sask. mother forgives son’s killer, but awaits closure

Sparvier complied and began walking down the road, only to be approached by two trucks. He was told to get in and was driven to a location southeast of Onion Lake where he was assaulted. Sparver and another man then entered the other truck Heathen was in, which then travelled to the rural location in the RM of Frenchman Butte. It was there where Sparvier and Heathen had a physical altercation that would lead to Sparvier being stabbed multple times in the chest, shoulders, back areas. An autopsy later confirmed blunt force trauma to the head was also a contributing factor.

The knife used by Heathen was never recovered, nor one of the trucks used. Heather later told family and friends she had stabbed someone but did not know it “was going to be like that”, but she got real mad and just said what needed to be said.

According to the statement of facts, Sparvier and Heathen had known each other previous, which Montana confirmed.

She explained on May 16, 2016, Braeden was picked up at his grandmother’s house and received a ride to Heathen’s house where he was left in the living room with a small child, while Heathen and two other men went inside a bedroom. Sparvier told his mother he was sitting on the couch next to a young child.

“The baby was only like two years old at the time and the baby was falling off the couch and I grabbed the baby just in time,” he explained to her, adding though when Heathen and the other man re-emerged from the bedroom and saw him holding the small child, they falsely accused him of molesting the child and proceeded to drive him to a remote location.

“He was tied up and they tried to stab him,” Montana said. “It traumatized him,”

In 2017, Heathen pleaded guilty to kidnapping and assault, and received a three and a half year prison sentence.

Sparvier growing up

Referring to Braeden as “her baby”, Montana said her son was not associated with gangs, and was always very open with her about what was happening in his life.

“I would lay beside him on his bed and we would just talk about anything that was bothering him because that’s how I raised him,” she said.

In the months prior to her son’s death, Montana recalled receiving threats from gang members in the community who called Braeden a “rat.”

“The last time I spoke with him was on Dec 31 and when he walked out the door, he looked at me and he said, ‘mom remember, I alway call on the lord,'” she said.

The following day, Montana said she knew something was wrong when Braeden failed to show up at his uncle’s house. She explained Braden loved being with his family and had a big heart for others in the community.

“He would always come to the house and say, come on, mom, we have to give some food to this family. And I would always say, this is not a grocery store, but mother, you’re the one who taught me how to give,” she said.

Montana said her son loved to cook and dance also enjoyed golf and baseball. In addition to being a massive Star Wars fan, Sparvier loved plying video games with his older brother and on Dec 30, the two brothers engaged in a competitive series of hockey games. Fighting back tears, Travis Montana recalled his final time playing with Braeden.

“With four minutes left in the third period, Braeden scores six unanswered goals and wins the game. He was so happy,” Travis said.

Much like his mother, Travis said he too does not believe all the facts have come out, adding Onion Lake Cree Nation has a big issue with gangs.

“Knowing this reserve, a lot of people are terrified of the gangs because of supposedly of what they can do. The gangs have a tendency to keep the community quiet.”

The co-accused, Twobears Bird, faces a charge of manslaughter and is scheduled to have his matters spoken to on July 12 at Lloydminster Provincial Court.

–

nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell

by Nigel Maxwell

Sask. mother forgives son’s killer, but awaits closure

What's Trending