IQALUIT - The woman whose daughter and two granddaughters were killed in Iqaluit on June 7 said she does not want her loved ones to be forgotten.

Sula Enuaraq breastfeeds her daughter Aliyah Degrasse in Iqaluit in October 2009. Enuaraq, 29, Aliyah, 2, and her older daughter Alexandra Degrasse, 7, were found dead inside their Tundra Valley home in Iqaluit on June 7. The body of the girls' father, Sylvain Degrasse, 44, was found at the cemetery with a long rifle. - NNSL file photo

"They were very special girls and I don't think there will ever be people like them," said Micah Arreak in Iglulik, adding she and her family are overcome with grief.

Her daughter Vivian Sula Enuaraq, 29, and granddaughters Alexandra Degrasse, 7, and Aliyah Degrasse, 2, were found dead in their home at unit 2534 on Paurngaq Cresent in the Tundra Valley neighbourhood on June 7.

Responding to a call at around 4:30 p.m., RCMP found the body of Sylvain Degrasse, 44, Enuaraq's common-law partner and father of the two girls, at the city's cemetery. A long rifle was taken from the scene.

RCMP trucks blocked the entrance of the cemetery and two sections of it were cordoned off with yellow police tape, one section in the middle among the gravestones and the other area being near the beach by several sheds and a parked pickup truck.

Police found the body at the cemetery first at then an investigation led to the residence.

Arreak said she found out about the tragedy through Facebook.

"It's like grinding your teeth to get information from the police," she said, adding it was "ludicrous."

RCMP spokesperson Sgt. Jimmy Akavak said the police tried their best to contact the immediate family first, but that in a small community it is hard to stop rumours from spreading.

"It's out of control," he said.

At a press conference on June 9, RCMP said the investigation is ongoing and all four bodies are being sent to Ottawa for autopsies. "It's very early in the investigation," said Akavak, who had choked up and took a couple of deep breaths when he was reading the names of the children off the press release. He said getting the results of the autopsies could take anywhere from a week to 10 days. Police are still releasing few details about the incident. They are asking members of the public to come forward if they have any information in relation to timelines or if they had spoken to any of the victims before they died. Akavak said two RCMP members from Winnipeg have been flown in to assist V Division's Forensic Identification Services and the Nunavut Major Crimes Unit.

Sylvain Degrasse worked at the Qulliq Energy Corporation. He was an avid hockey player and played this past season on a team in the Iqaluit Seniors Mens Hockey Association. His father, Jean-Guy Degrasse, originally from Quebec, had worked in Iqaluit as a repairman and was in Mexico at the time of the incident. Sylvain's sister, Suzanne Apak Degrasse, committed suicide in 2007 and about eight years ago his mother died of an aneurysm.

Arreak described Degrasse as "a very likeable person who was reasonable but not very talkative and who kept much to himself."

Sylvain Degrasse, 44, was found dead in Iqaluit's cemetery on June 7. Near his body was a long rifle. Police later found the bodies of his partner and their two young daughters in their home. All four bodies have been sent to Ottawa for autopsies. - Emily Ridlington/NNSL photo

Arreak said her daughter and Degrasse had been together for the last 13 years. Arreak last saw her daughter and granddaughters shen was in Iqaluit several weeks ago with her son who was medevaced to Qikiqtani General Hospital.

"She was a people person and was very sociable," she said of her daughter.

Enuaraq grew up in Rankin Inlet and moved to Iqaluit in 1994. She had one sister, four brothers and one step-sister. She was working as a chef's assistant at Baffin Correctional Centre.

When last in Iqaluit, Arreak said she had asked her daughter if everything was all right between the couple.

She said Enuaraq's response was that her relationship "was fine."

"It was hard to determine what the future would hold for them," said Arreak.

Arreak, who was the wellness co-ordinator in Iglulik for two years and has plenty of training on domestic abuse, said she did not "want to assume the worst."

"We all thought everything would work out," she said.

The two young girls and their mother will be buried in Pond Inlet with other family members, Arreak said.

"I've been overwhelmed with calls, love and hugs from people who are dropping by with food, condolences and those sending Facebook messages," Arreak said.

The family had been planning a reunion in the community later this month.

"We we're looking forward to it. We were going to grieve over our parents but it's like we were planning for this tragedy," she said.

Arreak said he is waiting for her family to come together so they can grieve together.

"How we can cope and deal with situations relies on our upbringing."

The flag outside Joamie School in Iqaluit was at half mast on June 7 and remains in that position. On a public service announcement via radio, the school stated counsellors would be on hand to help students, staff and parents cope with what happened. Alexandra Degrasse attended the school.

RCMP found the bodies of Sula Enuaraq and her daughters Alexandra Degrasse, 7, and Aliyah Degrasse, 2, on June 7 at unit 2534 on Paurngaq Crescent in Iqaluit's Tundra Valley subdivision. The body of Enuaraq's spouse Sylvain Degrasse was found at the city's cemetery. - Emily Ridlington/NNSL photo

Nunavut MP and Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq said in a statement June 8 from Ottawa she was shocked to hear about the deaths.

"Knowing children were victims only makes it more incomprehensible," she said.

At the legislative assembly June 8 Premier Eva Aariak said counsellors from various departments were already available to those affected. She said territorial employees were offered free counselling for themselves and members of their families, and urged individuals to call the Kamatsiaqtut help line or talk to clergy if needed. Additional crisis counsellors have also been flown in.

"There are no words that can adequately describe the shock and grief that is resonating throughout Iqaluit and beyond," she said.

"My heart to goes out to the family and friends of those affected."

Iqaluit Mayor Madeleine Redfern issued a press release on June 8.

"This has really shaken our community. We need to come together and help each other pull through this," she stated. Redfern asked residents to be patient while police try to find out what happened and to use the counselling services available to them.

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