Approaching the 10-year anniversary of her daughter鈥檚 death, a burning question remains for Carmen Perron: what happened to Ashley Chauvin in the hours and days before she was found lifeless on a South Surrey riverbank?
鈥淚鈥檓 still aching to find answers,鈥 Perron told Peace Arch News.
鈥淪omebody鈥檚 gotta have some answer, or know something or saw something.鈥
Chauvin鈥檚 body was discovered on a walking path adjacent to the Nicomekl River on July 19, 2012, by a man who was in the area scoping out fishing spots. It was the same day that a friend reported the 20-year-old missing, after losing contact with her online.
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Officers with Surrey RCMP鈥檚 major-crimes unit were called to the scene, in the 15500-block of 40 Avenue, at approximately 4:30 p.m., and police said they didn鈥檛 think Chauvin had been there long at that point.
Police also said there was no evidence of foul play 鈥 an autopsy found 鈥渁 mix鈥 of drugs in Chauvin鈥檚 system 鈥 but described some of the circumstances as 鈥渦nusual,鈥 and asked anyone with information to come forward.
Perron made her first public appeal a week later, noting that her daughter, who was herself a mother, had only moved to B.C. a few days prior to her death.
When she reissued the appeal in February 2014, police told Peace Arch News that investigators knew 鈥渟omeone did something terribly wrong.鈥 They confirmed that a person of interest had been identified 鈥渨ithin the first weeks鈥 following the discovery of Chauvin鈥檚 body, and that a Surrey man had been arrested in October 2013.
But while a charge of 鈥榠ndignity to dead body鈥 had been recommended in connection with how Chauvin got to the riverside, Crown determined that the evidence did not justify charges.
Perron next asked for information in the spring of 2019.
This month, with her daughter鈥檚 30th birthday on the horizon (May 18), Perron said she couldn鈥檛 let the impending 10-year anniversary of her death just quietly pass.
鈥淚 would regret just not mentioning it again, and then finding out years later鈥 that somebody knew something.
And while she feels guilty for not being able to help her daughter 鈥渨hen she needed me the most鈥 鈥 Chauvin is among more than 200 remembered at a site in Sudbury, Ont., where white crosses represent individuals who have died of drug overdose 鈥 Perron said she knows Chauvin wouldn鈥檛 want her to remain stuck.
鈥淪he would鈥檝e wanted me to move forward,鈥 she said.
Knowing more about Chauvin鈥檚 final moments is the missing piece of the puzzle.
鈥淚 still don鈥檛 have the real closure.
鈥淚鈥檓 just going on a hope and a prayer.鈥
Anyone with information may contact Surrey RCMP at 604-599-0502, or Perron at carmenperron@mail.com
tholmes@peacearchnews.com
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