Man charged after 4 found dead at Canada-US border

A Florida man Steve Shand, 47, was charged Thursday with human smuggling after seven Indian nationals were found in the U.S and the bodies of four people were found in Canada near the U.S. border. According to documents, a U.S. Border Patrol in North Dakota stopped a 15-passenger van just south of the Canadian border on Wednesday.

Shand was driving and court documents allege he was with two undocumented Indian nationals. After a difficult search in nearly impassible terrain, she said officers found three bodies together - a man, a woman and a baby - just 10 meters from the border near Emerson, Man. The search continued and a teen boy was found a short distance away.

It is believed they died from exposure. They were wearing winter clothing, she said, but it would not have been enough to save them with the freezing conditions.

Assistant Commissioner Jane MacLatchy said “These victims faced not only the cold weather but also endless fields, large snowdrifts and complete darkness,”.

Shand was arrested Wednesday and remains in custody. American authorities allege in court documents that Shand has likely been involved in other border crossings, including two recent incidents in December.