'My heart is broken forever,' says mom of 7-year-old boy who died in Hamilton lake on Canada Day

Nathanael Selambi, known as Nathan to his fellowship, had been in Canada for 2 years after emigrating from republic of cameroon.

The displace was jarring for the seven-year-old francophone, who started school day in English at Hamilton's Cathy Wever Elementary School, before transferring to Notre Dame, a francophone Catholic school near Gage Park.

She said the family moved here for access to better education, reliable electricity and clean water. "He said that he didn't want to move back to Cameroon anymore.

"Nathan was very proud to be here in Canada. He said, 'thanks, Mom, for bringing me to Canada,' and then he died on Canada Day."

Boy, 7, found dead at Binbrook Conservation Area after going missing on Canada Day, police say

Nathan was among 200 people from the local Cameroonian community celebrating Canada Day on July 1 at Binbrook Conservation Area when he went missing that afternoon. His body was found in the water the next day, leaving his parents and two siblings crushed at the loss of a boy who, his mom says, was thoughtful, pious and mature beyond his years. 

"My heart is broken forever," she said in an interview in French on Tuesday, through tears. "My life will never be the same."

That day, Nathan was playing with many other children in the water of Lake Niapenco, and was seen wandering off from the group, says Lonlac Magolac. 

"I told him not to go in the water anymore," she said, then turned her attention to her two-year-old, who had been fussy that day. "I was not worried because he is a child who listens… Then a child came to tell me that Nathan had lost his goggles. That’s when I started to worry because I know my son. If he loses something, he will do anything to find it.”

Boy who died at Binbrook Conservation Area was celebrating Canada Day with the Cameroonian community: police

A group of about 50 people searched for him that day and the next, an effort complicated by severe thunderstorms that rolled through the area that evening. A 61-year-old kayaker was found dead in the lake following the storm during search operations for Nathan.

When the Peel Region dive team arrived to assist police on July 2, they saw Nathan's body submerged near the inflatable park before divers even went into the water.

"We had quite inclement weather around 5 p.m.," said Hamilton police Const. Adam Kimber. "It did create some waves and create some disturbance in the water there. So, from where he was located [July 2] to where he became deceased is not clear."

Lonlac Magolac, who was a teacher in Cameroon and is a supply teacher in Hamilton, remembers her son as extremely considerate. He was the oldest of three children in the family, leaving behind siblings who are four and two years old, as well as his parents. The family lives near Stoney Creek, said his mom.

"He was too nice, always wanting to help others, always wanting to care for me when I got home tired. He'd say to his siblings, 'Don't bother mom, she is tired, let her rest."

She says Nathan was aware of the family's challenges as new Canadians and did not want expensive things that would strain their budget. She says he worked hard at school and tried to make her proud by getting good grades.

"He would say, 'Mom, I'm going to bring you all As,'" she said. "I was very proud of him."

Lifesaving Society Canada data shows that the number of water-related deaths in Ontario has gone up slightly since 2013, from 1.2 deaths per 100,000 residents to 1.4 per 100,000 in 2022, the most recent year of data provided. 

The organization says 45 per cent of deaths happen in a lake or pond, by far the most common location, and that only 1 per cent happen in a setting supervised by a lifeguard. 

Stephanie Bakalar, Lifesaving Society Ontario's senior communications officer, says that, unlike for pools, there are no legal safety requirements in Ontario for operators of waterfront space, except for summer camps.

"Not everybody realizes how important wearing a lifejacket is, especially in an open water situation," says Bakalar, whose organization offers up to nine free lifejackets to groups starting a lifejacket lending program. Her organization strongly recommends lifejackets for kids playing in open water.

In honour of her son's memory, Lonlac Magolac is hoping to bring access to lifejackets to Binbrook Conservation Area. She'd like to contribute money she saved for Nathan's education to help buy lifejackets there, and would also like their use to be mandatory. 

She'd also like to see other safety measures such as lifeguards, security cameras, and underwater thermal cameras, as well as a safety sign in French, in addition to the one currently there in English.

"I don't want another parent to live through what I have lived through," she said. "This isn't the first time a child has died there."

Three-year-old Zahra Ousmane drowned at the conservation area while there with her family and a larger group in 2022. 

Autopsy shows 3-year-old girl's drowning in Hamilton conservation area was an accident, police say

Bakalar, from the Lifesaving Society, said that when lifejackets are made available, people tend to use them. 

"Having those lifejacket stations and having those tips and information posted and available at public beaches will go a long way to supporting people in being able to recognize that this is a choice I should be making, or this is something I can do to add a layer of protection," she said.

The Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority, which runs Binbrook Conservation Area, says it has been in contact with Nathan's family and is working with them privately to honour his memory.

"Out of respect for the family, we will not be commenting publicly on those discussions," said spokesperson Sofia Zavarella in an email. "We regularly review our operations and procedures supporting the visitor experience at our conservation areas, including those related to health and safety, and will continue to do so." 

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