A community vigil is taking place tonight (June 28) in memory of a Port Coquitlam teen found dead in Vancouver last month.
Butterflies In Spirit is organizing the event outside the Downtown Eastside building where Noelle 'Elli' O'soup's body was found nearly a year after the 14-year-old was reported missing to police.
The Vancouver-based group advocates for justice for missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls (MMIWG) across Canada.
O'soup was last seen the night of May 12, 2021, when the then 13-year-old left home "without permission," and the family was notified of the body's discovery last Wednesday (June 22).
In earlier inquiries, it was believed O'soup was likely trying to avoid a well-being check, but police told the Tri-City News officers wanted to ensure the teen's safety.
According to multiple reports, O'soup was one of three people found dead in the same apartment — located north of MacLean Park and southeast of Oppenheimer Park.
"Noelle’s death will generate many questions in the community, and we are committed to finding answers," said Vancouver Police Department (VPD) spokesperson Sgt. Steve Addison.
The VPD is leading the investigation into the circumstances surrounding O'soup's death, alongside the BC Coroners Service and Coquitlam RCMP.
"If, during the course of this investigation, we determine there is a risk to public safety, we will immediately notify the public."
Addison said the case is still active and ongoing, as of this publication, so public details are limited.
The vigil for O'soup begins 6 p.m. at 405 Heatley Ave., where a small memorial is also growing outside the building.
Anyone with more information on O'soup's death is asked to call VPD's major crime section at 604-717-2500.
