telling Marlon, Donna's former stepfather Bob Hope (Tony Audenshaw) and his partner Brenda Walker (Lesley Dunlop). Marlon reacted badly, initially telling Donna that he didn't want anything to do with them and they should return to Essex. Marlon's ex-girlfriend Rhona Goskirk (Zoe Henry) decided she wanted her and Marlon's son Leo Goskirk (Harvey Rogerson) to know that he had a half-sister and met Donna. Marlon came around to the idea of Leo getting to know April but insisted he didn't want either Donna or April in the village and that they must never know that they are siblings. In 2014, Donna died after jumping from a building with Gary North (Fergus O'Donnell) after he threatened to abuse April. She told her partner Ross Barton (Michael Parr) to tell April that she loved her very much. Later that day, a devastated Marlon broke the news to April about Donna. However, April didn't realise that Donna was dead and went to visit Ross at the garage because she knew he knew Donna well. Ross lashes out at April and she went looking for Donna but later was found the next day. Marlon was then awarded full custody of April and she now lives with him and regularly sees Leo. In March 2016, April went to see Ross's mother Emma Barton (Gillian Kearney) because she had bruises on her left arm and asked if she could make it better. Bob's daughter Carly Hope (Gemma Atkinson) confided in Marlon that she had a son Billy who died from cot death when he was two months old. April tells Marlon and Carly that Leo hit her, causing the bruises. Towards the end of 2016, April notices that Marlon and Carly like each other, and she questions if they are already dating or not. Eventually, Marlon and Carly do start dating. In March 2017, while making a cake for Marlon's birthday, April chokes on a sweet in front of Carly. Terrified, she froze but Marlon managed to bring the sweet up and April starts crying in shock. Marlon is furious at Carly for not trying to save April when she could see that she was choking. The next day Marlon keeps April off school and she runs away to the pirate ship because she thinks Carly doesn't like her as she didn't try to help. Carly explains to April that she was in shock and didn't