Pubdate: Sun, 31 Dec 2000
Source: Province, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2000 The Province
Contact:  200 Granville Street, Ste. #1, Vancouver, BC V6C 3N3 Canada
Fax: (604) 605-2323
Website: http://www.vancouverprovince.com/
Author: Steve Berry

POLICE HONOUR MEMORY OF ADDICT

April Reoch was a drug-addicted prostitute whose short, brutal life
ended with her being stuffed into a small bag and put out with the
garbage.

The mother of an 11-year-old boy, she was a bubbly, kind-hearted woman
with an engaging personality who laid bare her life in the hope others
would stay away from drugs. She was 25.

Tomorrow, Vancouver police officers will honour her with an official
piper and a ceremonial parade from 100 E. Hastings St. to the First
United Church at 320 E. Hastings, where a memorial service will be
held. The parade starts at 1:45 p.m. "She was so disrespected on her
death that we wanted to bring a strong sense of dignity to her
memorial," said Const. Al Arsenault, who saw her three days before her
death. "She was happy and excited about a new kitten she had just got.

"She was on her way to see her son."

Arsenault is part of the Odd Squad, a team of Vancouver officers who
filmed the lives of six drug addicts for the National Film Board
documentary Through a Blue Lens. April, known on the streets and in
the film as Shannon, was the inspiration for the movie, Arsenault
said. "She was a naive little kid who got caught in an environment
that was eating her up," he said. "She was a very, very warm,
kind-hearted person."

Her body was found in a small, fabric bag at 9:30 a.m. on Christmas
Day by a janitor at 40 E. Hastings.

The bag had been placed in a garbage area, accessible only to
residents.

The investigation into her death is continuing. Meanwhile, police have
set up a trust fund at the VanCity Credit Union seeking donations for
Reoch's son. "We lost April, but her legacy lives on," said Arsenault.
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