The mother of the woman found dead in her Falls City home tells Channel 6 News the death was an accident, she choked on her own vomit.
Joyce Bishop says when she last talked to her daughter, April had complained of an upset stomach. Joyce says the Nebraska State Patrol is still investigating to rule out any other possibilities. The death was originally being treated as a homicide.
Twenty-one-year-old April Bishop graduated from the University of Nebraska-Omaha last month and moved to Falls City after accepting a job with Falls City Public Schools to be a band director. Her body was discovered on Saturday.
April grew up in Plattsmouth and graduated with honors from Plattsmouth High School four years ago. "About 3.98 GPA if I remember right," says Plattsmouth High School principal Jeff Wiles.
More honors for April came at UNO where she had many friends and was into music. "She did above and beyond in everything that she did," says UNO music professor Dr. Melissa Berke.
“Energetic, she has one of the most amazing personalities I've ever met,” says Jenna Seberg. Friends Seberg and Adam Witte remember a good friend from the UNO band.
“She never failed to have a smile on her face, she always had a happy personality, she never let anybody get sad around her."
Now friends struggle with the loss of a young woman who took it upon herself to make others smile. Witte says Falls City was April's dream job, a program she could make her own.
“She was from a smaller school, smaller town, smaller program and said that was where she would feel most comfortable and where she'd be able to do the most good."
Bishop never got that chance. “I think probably the greatest loss is that she's never gonna have her own students to share that love with,” says Witte.
“It's hard, but I know she's in a better place now," says Seberg. A candlelight vigil was held in April's memory Monday night on the UNO campus.
April had worked as a student-teacher for the Millard School District this spring, teaching symphonic and concert bands. Before that she was a student-teacher at Black Elk and Reeder elementary schools, teaching band.
Her funeral is set for 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at First Presbyterian Church.