Community leaders in the Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug First Nation are looking for help after four children from the community were kidnapped.

Police said a man assaulted and sexually assaulted a 6- and 8-year-old, and abducted two others on Wednesday.

Two of the children escaped and alerted their parents, who found the man and held him until police arrived.

Chief Donny Morris said the incident was a huge shock and he's hoping to bring in counsellors to help deal with the trauma.

"We're not equipped to do the work to counsel and debrief,” he said.

“There's too much going on. It brings back memories, I guess, for some individuals, of the residential schools, the day school and other abuses."

Morris said he's contacted a trauma expert from the Nishnawbe Aski Nation and is requesting financial assistance from Health Canada to pay for transportation for a counsellor.

"It's not like what happens down south where everybody gets together, and people are available,” Morris added.

“In a remote place we are not fully equipped to deal with something like that. We're just sitting back ... because it's a shock ...We're trying to cope with it.”

All four children were treated for non-life-threatening injuries in Big Trout Lake and Thunder Bay.

The children are not related to the accused, police said.

Thirty-three-year-old Danny Sakakeep has been charged with kidnapping, assault, sexual assault and uttering threats. He remains in custody and was scheduled to appear in court in Sioux Lookout on Friday.

Police have asked for anyone with information related to the incident to contact the OPP Crime Unit at the Sioux Lookout OPP Detachment, 807-737-2020, the OPP Communication Centre at 1-888-310-1122 or Crime Stoppers 1-800-222-8477.