Pubdate: Sat, 5 Sep 1998
Source: Vancouver Sun (Canada)
Contact:  http://www.vancouversun.com/ 
Author: Ferris Bortoletto

MICHELLE WAS BRIGHT AND LOVING BEFORE TURNING TO DRUGS

I would like to put a human face on my daughter, Michelle Fiddick, who
was viciously murdered in July, 1996. Although media reports have
always referred to her as a prostitute, I am enclosing her picture to
humanize her as a person, someone more than just a prostitute.

Michelle was a bright, loving and generous person. She had been
married and had borne two sons at a happier time in her life.

Unfortunately she acquired a drug habit somewhere along the way,
leading to estrangement from her family -- father, mother, five
sisters and three brothers.

At the time of her death, she was very much down and out, with no
money or even a place to stay that night. That's not to say that
prostitution was the only way out. She could have gone for
rehabilitation if we had been able to place her in a centre where she
could have been cured of her addiction.

However, the law of the land will not allow addicts to be placed in
rehabilitation against their will. That led her to being on the
streets and ultimately being stabbed, her body arranged in a
crucifixion position and then set ablaze with gasoline at Fraser River
Park.

Ferris Bortoletto, Chase
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Checked-by: Patrick Henry