Police set up toll-free tip line for investigation into deaths at Mohawk Institute Residential School

WARNING: This story contains distressing details

Investigators have set up a toll-free tip line to help gather more information about deaths at the Mohawk Institute Residential School, which was open for some 140 years until 1970.

"Investigators want to hear from survivors of the Mohawk Institute, who have any information about missing children or witnessed any criminal acts that could have led to the deaths of children at the facility," Ontario Provincial Police said in a media release.

The announcement was made alongside the Six Nations Police Service and the Brantford Police Service.

All three services are taking part in the criminal investigation, which was announced in July last year, following repeated calls from survivors and Six Nations elected Chief Mark Hill.

"We will work tirelessly to locate any remains of children at the Mohawk Institute, and if any remains are found, we will conduct a painstaking investigation to determine how they died. But we cannot do it alone," said Six Nations police Chief Darren Montour in a video provincial police shared on Twitter Monday. 

A Survivors' Secretariat, set up to uncover and document the truth of what happened at the residential school, stated Monday that the intent of the tip line is to receive information about children who died at the Mohawk Institute, how they died and where they might be buried.

Roberta Hill, a survivor of the Mohawk Institute, said she and other members of the secretariat "strongly advocated" for the tip line to be created.

The organization encouraged anyone with information about deaths at the Mohawk Institute to contact the tip line or Survivors' Secretariat to share what they know. 

Six Nations Police previously said Montour was given a signed letter from survivors of the residential school who outlined mental, physical and sexual abuse by staff members.

"The letter also alleges that some students disappeared, were never seen again, and that many died while at the school," the service said at the time. "The survivors felt that some staff may be responsible for the deaths of the students."

The police tip line will be monitored 12 hours a day, and callers can expect a response within 24 hours, according to police.

Anyone with information or wanting to share their story is asked to contact investigators by calling 1-888-523-8587.

A ground search of the roughly 200 hectares of property that were once owned by the residential school started in early November of last year.

In January, the group overseeing the search for unmarked graves received $10.2 million in funding from Ottawa.

Kimberly Murray, executive lead for the Survivors' Secretariat , said it was "pleased" with the support, but more was needed to complete the work.

"It's not going to be enough, and in fact, the budget we put forward was for more, but it's definitely helped us with the start of our search and the search for records as well," she said at the time.

Support is available for anyone affected by their experience at residential schools and those who are triggered by these reports.

A national Indian Residential School Crisis Line has been set up to provide support for residential school survivors and others affected. People can access emotional and crisis referral services by calling the 24-hour national crisis line: 1-866-925-4419.