HALIFAX -- Police in Halifax say the death of a young woman found dying on a park path has been ruled a homicide.
They said in a release Wednesday night that based on an autopsy, the medical examiner had ruled the death a homicide and identified the victim as 18-year-old Chelsie Probert of Halifax.
Halifax police Const. Phil Power said the investigation was ongoing and officers remained on the scene, which is near a busy street in north-end Dartmouth.
Earlier in the day, officers canvassed the area to see if anyone saw anything before the young woman was discovered or had video surveillance.
Police received a 911 call at about 10 p.m. Tuesday reporting that a woman appeared to be in medical distress near the path between Albro Lake Road and Farrell Street.
They say officers found Probert in medical distress and she was taken to hospital where she later died of her injuries. Police did not release a cause of death.
Milko Angelucci, who lives on Clarence Street behind the footpath, said he saw police lights late Tuesday.
"I didn't hear anything. I went to bed about 10:35 p.m. and I saw police lights and they were still here the next morning," Angelucci said.
"It's a family neighbourhood and there's lots of kids that live here."
Angelucci said a young man told him he discovered the woman, who was "covered in blood."
The Dartmouth pathway, which cuts through Farrell Street Park, remained cordoned off by yellow police tape Wednesday as forensic officers in light blue full-body suits scoured the area near Albro Lake Road.
Numerous evidence markers could be seen along the path, and two police investigators canvassed door-to-door throughout the north end neighbourhood.
Police had also cordoned off two waste bins outside a small plaza across the street that has a convenience store, laundromat, take-out restaurant, barbers and pizza shop.
Meanwhile, Snappy Tomato owner Richard Farrah said police came to his pizzeria looking for surveillance video from Tuesday night.
However, he said his shop, which stays open until midnight on Tuesdays, was quiet during the evening.
Farrah said the neighbourhood is a poor, working-class area that struggles with drugs and "street walkers."
He said the area could use help, especially opportunities for youth.
A woman in the area said the neighbourhood has a lot of sex workers, many of whom are addicted to drugs.
The woman said she was a sex worker in the area for many years and was addicted to crack cocaine.
She said a new group of younger women now appear to be entering the sex trade and are doing different types of drugs, which she described as "pills."
In the late afternoon Tuesday, she described seeing a young woman "dressed like a sex worker" stumble into the Tim Hortons parking lot on nearby Highfield Park Drive.
She said the woman could barely stand and was picked up by a male driver.
"I've worked the streets before and I know what this looked like. The girl was so young and I just felt so bad for her."
