This articles contains spoilers from Emmerdale’s episode of Tuesday February 4, now available to watch on ITVX
Emmerdale fans have been left absolutely heartbroken by a tragic outcome for missing teenager April Windsor (Amelia Flanagan), after she suffered a stillbirth while alone.
In an episode focused on what she has been through since fleeing the village following a row with dad Marlon Dingle (Mark Charnock), we saw her driven to Leeds city centre and attempt to get hotel accommodation in Leeds.
It soon became clear how tough life on the streets was, but she found herself unable to go home and face what she had left behind.
She ended up in a community of people sleeping rough, where she was quickly targeted by an opportunist pervert, who was chased off by a boy Dylan (Fred Kettle) who would become a much needed ally.
He brought April to a derelict building where she also met his close friend, Becca (Becca Ashton) with both of them taking her under their wing.
The episode went on to explore the serious struggles felt by the many people enduring homelessness, with obnoxious members of the public accusing April of feigning her situation due to her trainers.
At another point, April and Becca were seen attempting to get change but to little success, forcing April to shoplift a sandwich.
Tragedy then struck in the most brutal way when Becca gave chase to a thief who took their money, only to then be stabbed.
Following her death, April, who we have since discovered is pregnant, is broken, as is Dylan.
And things got even worse when police raided, with Dylan arrested and April then fleeing and left with nowhere to go.
A terrible tragedy then struck when April was doubled over in pain and got no help despite begging strangers while clearly in agony.
Alone in a dirty public toilet, April was in bits as she apologised over and over to her stillborn baby, before the harrowing episode closed with her lying once more, looking utterly defeated, on an outdoor bench.
Back in the village, Marlon has been told April has been found – but what state will she be in when they meet again?
Mark recently warned Metro that life would never be the same again.
‘Her life has changed so much in ways that Rhona and Marlon can’t begin to comprehend,’ he told me.
‘They’re going to have to deal with an entirely new human being or try and access the bits of her that they used to know and bring it forward.’
