Hundreds attend memorial for dead girl in small Saskatchewan town

CHOICELAND, Sask. – Hundreds of mourners gathered in a small Saskatchewan town to remember the life of a seven-year-old girl who was found dead.

Nia Eastman was the subject of an Amber Alert on Nov. 10 after her father didn’t drop her off as planned at her mother’s house in Choiceland.

Police say Adam Jay Eastman committed suicide and hours later, his daughter’s body was discovered in a home by investigators.

The family requested mourners wear bright colours to Thursday’s memorial service because Nia enjoyed wearing colourful things.

The Grade 1 student was described as a happy girl who enjoyed playing in puddles and wearing mismatched socks.

People at the service wept as Nia’s mother, Crystal Eastman, read a poem titled “If Tomorrow Never Comes.”

“If I knew it was the last time, I would have recorded everything so I could replay it day after day,” Eastman recited.

RCMP are in the final stages of the investigation. No charges will be laid and police will not release any other details, including cause of death for both.

The day before Nia was to be returned to her mother, there was a photo posted of the girl and an unidentified woman with the super-imposed caption “My World.”

On Wednesday, the page’s cover photo was changed to a picture of a skull and crossbones with the slogan: “Leave me alone. I’ve had enough.”

There were no further posts.

A provincial court document indicates Eastman was facing an assault charge. A Nipawin peace officer said he believed Eastman committed an assault on Crystal Eastman on Aug. 23 in Choiceland.

The court had no record of convictions against Eastman.

A crowdfunding page has been set up to support Nia’s mother and as of Thursday had reached just over $34,000.

Choiceland is 100 kilometres east of Prince Albert.

(CKOM, The Canadian Press)