Friends, neighbours attend vigil for 2 children killed in Montreal's east end

A small group of friends and neighbours gathered at the corner of Curatteau Street and Pierre-de-Coubertin Avenue Friday evening, to mourn the deaths of Hugo andlise Pomares, aged seven and five, whose bodies were found inside the home this week.

Jonathan Pomares and his two childrenwere found dead at their home in the borough of Mercier-Hochelaga-Maisonneuve, Tuesday night. It was the children's mother who came home after work to discover the bodies.

Montreal police are investigating the possibility that Pomares, 40, killed his two children before taking his own life.

Radio-Canada has learned that Pomares and the children's motherwere in the midst of a separation.

After news of the tragedy began to spread, people started to leave flowers and stuffed animals on the porch of the house as a memorial.

The collection has only grown in the days since.

"It's something to show solidarity with the mother," saidCarole Lejeuneat the vigil. "Even if she's the only one going through what she is going through, we are there with her."

At the vigil, some people read poems aloud and spoke about the shock of what happened.

Others left messages of condolence and lit candles to pay their respects.

For Nicholas Bessuel, a neighbour and father of two, the incident hit close to home.

"As a father with two young children, it touches my heart. These kinds of things shouldn't happen," he said. "We all feel for the mother and the family."

'We have to start talking about it'

Linda Basque, who works with the group Info-Femmes that organized the vigil, said this event sent a "shock wave throughthe community."

She said the news left a lot of people feeling upset and powerless, and the organizationwanted to create an opportunity for people to "share a moment."

Basque said that she considers this kind of intimate family violence as another form ofviolence against women.

"It's the ultimate act of taking the power away from the woman," she said. "If we want things to change, if we want these kinds of horrible acts to stop, we have to start talking about it."

Need to talk?

• Crisis Services Centre| Toll-free from anywhere in Canada: 1-833-456-4566
• Suicide Action Montreal| Toll-free from anywhere in Quebec: 1-866-277-3553
• Tel-Jeunes| Text: 514-600-1002, Telephone: 1-800-263-2266