The father of a 21-year-old woman found dead inside a high-rise in Mississauga last weekend opened up about the grief he and his family are experiencing, describing his daughter as “our family’s heart.”
Peel Regional Police were called to an apartment building at 28 Helene Street North in Port Credit around noon on Thursday, July 20, for a wellness check of a female resident.
Investigators identified the victim as 21-year-old Pitch Phaunpa. Phaunpa’s death has been deemed a homicide.
Peel Regional Police have not elaborated on the investigation and only revealed details of the case on Sunday, July 23.
Pitch’s father, Jack, offered to speak on behalf of his family. He tells CityNews that while he won’t expand on the investigation or its status, he shared Pitch’s history and upbringing, describing his daughter as the heartbeat of his family.
“I have two sons and a daughter. My family moved to Canada in October 2004 when Pitch, my youngest daughter, was two-and-a-half years old. As new immigrants, our family worked hard and [made] our way to becoming Canadian citizens,” Jack told CityNews.
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Jack said when Pitch turned 20, he and his family moved from Georgetown to Mississauga as she studied online at the Toronto Film School.
He said that as a computer programmer, his job allowed him and his family to move again, this time to New Brunswick. Pitch opted to stay on her own in Mississauga but promised her family that she would move to reunite with them in August.
“I work from home, and my wife and her business partner opened a Thai Restaurant in downtown Moncton,” Jack said.
“We [kept] convincing Pitch to move to New Brunswick with us since last September, and she agreed to move by the end of August.”
Jack said Pitch travelled to New Brunswick for a Canada Day long weekend visit.
“We had a great time together; I did gardening and hiking with my daughter,” he said. “Unfortunately, that was the last time we [were with] her.”
Peel Regional Police believe Pitch was killed between July 17 and July 18. They have not confirmed any suspect or suspects related to the 21-year-old’s death.
One tenant that spoke with CityNews described Pitch as “young and very sweet,” saying they would sometimes talk as they did laundry in the apartment building.
A police spokesperson declined to comment on the status of the homicide investigation.
“My daughter is our family’s heart,” Jack said. “This is heartbreaking.”
With files from Faiza Amin of CityNews
