Penticton woman, 20, arrested in death of city youth last April

Teen’s death at first wasn’t believed to be suspicious, but later was labelled homicide

A 20-year-old Penticton woman was arrested last Thursday in connection with the April 2017 homicide death of a Penticton youth, RCMP announced in a press release.

The woman was released the same day, with further investigation pending.

The RCMP are continuing their investigation into the April 2 death of a 17year-old Penticton male.

The youth’s companion was also taken into custody by Penticton serious crime investigators on Feb. 1 and subsequently released that day, without charges, with further investigation pending.

On April 2, around 12:24 p.m., Penticton RCMP assisted the BC Ambulance Service after a young woman reported her companion was in medical distress. Upon the arrival of police, the 17-year-old male was located unresponsive inside a Penticton-area residence, with BCAS providing CPR to the teenager. He was pronounced dead at that time. The two were known to each other.

Although it was initially believed that the youth’s death was attributable to a medical condition, further information and evidence was obtained in August that led RCMP investigators and the BC Coroners Service to categorize his death as a homicide. RCMP investigators are continuing their investigation, Cpl. Dan Moskaluk said.

The press release was issued at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, about the same time Insp. Ted De Jager gave out the information during his delivery of the Penticton and region RCMP’s quarterly report to Penticton city council.

The names of the accused and the deceased were not released.

De Jager left reporters puzzled around New Year’s when he said in an interview there were four homicides in the South Okanagan in 2017. At the time, only three were reported and known to the media, leaving reporters speculating about the circumstances behind the fourth.