The long-awaited closure for baby Maxime Ottawa’s family has arrived as the remains exhumed from a Quebec City cemetery have been confirmed to belong to the Atikamekw child, ending years of uncertainty and bringing him back home at last.
Maxime, who was just six months old, was taken from Manawan for medical treatment in 1954 and sadly passed away in a Quebec City hospital after 43 days of hospitalization. His parents were unable to be with him during his final moments and were unaware of his death for two years, preventing them from honoring him with a proper funeral.
Decades later, the family discovered that Maxime had been laid to rest in a common grave at Saint-Charles Cemetery in Quebec City. With the authorization from the Quebec Superior Court, his exhumation took place in October 2025 to confirm his identity through forensic testing and potentially allow for his reburial in Manawan.
After a complex process due to multiple Indigenous individuals being buried in the same area, one body was recovered and sent for identification testing. In September 2026, the family finally received the confirmation that the remains belonged to Maxime.
Now, the relatives can move forward with planning a burial ceremony in Manawan that honors the child’s memory and upholds the traditions of the community.
Keyphrase: Baby Maxime Ottawa Burial
