Jessica Rose Bakker was a vibrant 37-year-old woman. Her family described her as someone who would “do anything” for anyone. “She’s the kind of person that would give you the shirt off her back kind of thing,” said Angela Bakker, Jessica’s mother. Jessica was a mother of four who worked as a bartender where she touched the lives of many people. “She was a ray of sunshine,” said Bakker. “Always happy, making people laugh.” Jessica was found dead near King and Maitland streets in London on Feb. 17. According to police, a 55-year-old man has since been charged with one count of improper interference with a dead body. “I feel like a failure as a parent, you know,” said Bakker. “There’s a lot of things I could’ve, should’ve, would’ve done.” Bakker says if given the opportunity, she would have died to save her daughter’s life. “I was cheated out of that,” she said. “So to speak.” Bakker says her daughter’s death should serve as a reminder of the many Indigenous women gone too soon, and the stories that still need to be told. “The world is very dangerous,” said Bakker. “It doesn’t matter what kind of lifestyle you live, it’s dangerous.” Even in her death, Bakker says Jessica’s story will help others with a legacy of kindness, and a reminder that no one has to face their struggles alone. “If you’re in a crisis just reach out,” said Bakker. “There’s a lot of services out there.”
