Daughter of N.S. woman killed in Edmonton speaks out

Ashley Burke and her daughter, Abbey, are seen in a photo. (Abbey Robson/Facebook)

Abigail Robson is still dealing with the grief of losing her mother Ashley Burke late last year.

"My mom is dead and I was, like, screaming and crying," she said. "It was, like, the only word I could get out and then having to tell my grandparents and my aunts and my cousins and stuff like that was very hard."

Burke, 43, was originally from Pictou County, N.S. She was found dead on the riverbanks of the North Saskatchewan River on Dec. 30, according to Edmonton Police.

Daniel Boothman, 31, was later arrested and charged Friday. The cause of death is being concealed for investigative reasons.

Robson said her mother had been in difficult relationships over the years.

"I got home from the funeral home yesterday and I went to see my mom there and all I could do was just, like, hold her and hold her hand and give her a hug and say, 'I'm so sorry for all of this,'" Robson said.

A friend's grief

Kenda Hayman from Pictou County, is mourning the death of her long-time friend.

“She was like 100 pounds. There’s nothing she could’ve done to have that happen to her,” said Hayman.

Hayman describes Burke as a kind person and someone "who was always there." She and Burke shared countless moments since they first met in 2002.

“We’d just call her little miss priss because she was always the uppity-up one in our friend group. It was just funny the way that she was,” said Hayman.

“I got pregnant right after she had Abbey so we were just inseparable. We were just like sisters. We basically raised our children together, had suppers together, our kids went to daycare together, [and] we worked together.”

Hayman said she and Burke had stopped speaking as frequently over the years.

“We fought like we were an old couple. I always thought I would at least have the chance to talk to her again,” she said.

Hayman said learning she won’t have that chance was heartbreaking.

“I’ve went on Facebook so many times to see what her life was up to and would always just kind of check up on her. Knowing that I’ll never get that time, it makes me angry, and it makes me sad,” said Hayman. “She was a good a person.”

Since learning about Burke’s death it has been difficult for Hayman to keep her phone down. She says she hasn’t stopped looking at all the pictures they took together.

“It’s something you see on TV. Something you watch on one of your shows and then it’s like its going with your friend and its surreal,” she said.

Hayman added Burke was always a survivor and she could not have imagined this would happen.

“She fought so hard just to keep surviving and it makes me angry that that was taken from her. It’s just not right.”

Hayman told CTV News Robson will be bringing Burke’s remains back to Nova Scotia, where she will be buried.

“I am going to be there for the family and be there for Abbey. I just can’t wait till she comes home, where she can be around family and doesn’t have to do this on her own.”

Burke is the sixth Nova Scotian to have died from an intimate partner homicide in the last three months.

“It’s not okay, it never will be okay. Something needs to change,” said Hayman.

For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page.