'Everything's on the table': Vancouver police tight-lipped as they investigate Indigenous teen's death
Vancouver police insist there's not much they can say publicly about their investigation into the death of missing Indigenous teen Noelle "Ellie" O'Soup, but "everything's on the table" as they work to determine how and why she died.
The 14-year-old's body was found on May 1 inside an apartment at 405 Heatley St. in Vancouver's Strathcona neighbourhood.
The Port Coquitlam resident had been missing for nearly a year at that point, and her body was found alongside the body of another individual.
At a news conference Friday, Vancouver Police Department spokesperson Const. Tania Visintin told reporters the second person found May 1 has not yet been identified.
"The (causes) of both these people's deaths – Noelle and the other person – right now, are unknown," Visintin said.
A third person – a man in his 40s – was found dead in the same apartment on Feb. 23, Visintin confirmed.
"This is very concerning," she said, when asked about the VPD's reaction to the discovery of three bodies in the same apartment in a span of just a few months.
"(It's) quite unusual as well, I'll add," Visintin continued. "So, that's why we have our Major Crime Section on this. And we're working to determine what happened here."
Asked whether police believe the deaths of O'Soup and the other individual found on May 1 are suspicious, Visintin sought clarification.
"What do you mean by suspicious?" She asked.
When the reporter clarified that he wanted to know whether police are conducting a homicide investigation, Visintin said police "haven't ruled out anything."
"Everything's on the table at this point," she said. "So, yeah, we're looking into all avenues on what caused this death – or deaths, I should say."
Noelle O'Soup was reported missing after leaving her home in Port Coquitlam on the evening of May 12, 2021.
She originally hailed from the 1,500-member Key First Nation in southern Saskatchewan, and one of the nation's band councillors told CTV News on Thursday that O'Soup was in the care of B.C.'s Ministry of Children and Family Development.
Coquitlam RCMP did not elaborate on the teen's living situation in any of their appeals for information on her whereabouts, saying only that "did not have permission to leave."
After the identification of her remains this week, Vancouver police took over the investigation.
"Noelle’s death will generate many questions in the community, and we are committed to finding answers," the VPD said in a statement issued Wednesday.
"If, during the course of this investigation, we determine there is a risk to public safety, we will immediately notify the public."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
U.S. schools turn to artificial intelligence to spot guns as companies press lawmakers for state funds
Kansas could soon offer up to US$5 million in grants for schools to outfit surveillance cameras with artificial intelligence systems that can spot people carrying guns. But the governor needs to approve the expenditures and the schools must meet some very specific criteria.
Air quality advisories issued in 5 provinces, 1 territory
Air quality advisories are in effect across Western Canada as smoky conditions plague some areas, according to the latest forecasts. Here's where.
Just how bad are ultraprocessed foods? Here are 5 things to know
Many foods fall under the category of ultraprocessed foods, depending on their exact ingredients. This type of food has been studied a lot lately, and the results aren’t great.
No refund for travellers who cancelled flight already scrapped by airline: regulator
Four years on, the controversy over whether airlines owed refunds to passengers after cancelling hundreds of thousands of flights during the pandemic continues to simmer, aggravated by a sluggish, opaque complaints process.
opinion Harry and Meghan's Nigerian adventure: traditional attire to warm welcomes
For her latest column on CTVNews.ca, royal commentator Afua Hagan writes about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's recent visit to Nigeria, calling it a 'deeply meaningful campaign' that was about aligning their ongoing efforts to foster mental-health awareness and promoting the Invictus Games.
'Oh my God, you're my brother': Man in his 70s discovers 6 unknown siblings
After receiving a DNA kit one Christmas from his son-in-law, Hugh McCormick soon discovered that he had six unknown siblings, with whom he shared the same birth parents.
'It happened so fast': Evacuees describe fleeing Fort Nelson, B.C., wildfire
Thousands have been forced to flee a wildfire burning near Fort Nelson. Meanwhile, some experienced volunteers are staying behind to fight the fire.
Rates of cancer declining in Canada, but more work needed to save lives: projections
A new study projecting declining rates of cancer cases and deaths in Canada demonstrates the success of prevention and early detection programs, but also highlights areas where more work is needed to save and prolong lives, researchers say.
DEVELOPING Michael Cohen takes the stand as testimony in Trump hush money case enters 4th week
The star prosecution witness in Donald Trump's hush money trial is set to take the stand Monday with testimony that could help shape the outcome of the first criminal case against an American president.