Zara Aleena: Aspiring lawyer's family say she believed 'women should be able to walk alone'
Zara Aleena's family issued a statement saying violence against women must be stopped after a man was charged with the murder of the 35-year-old.
Her grieving family described the aspiring lawyer as a "carefree spirit" who wholeheartedly believed women should be able to walk home alone.
The family issued a statement on Wednesday (29 June), in which they paid tribute to a series of women, including Sarah Everard, who lost their lives in the past two years.
"She was fierce: she didn’t just survive, she thrived," Ms Aleena's family' statement read.
"She walked everywhere. She put her party shoes in a bag and donned her trainers. She walked."Jordan McSweeney, 29, of no fixed address, was remanded in custody on Wednesday after appearing at Thames Magistrates’ Court charged with Zara's murder.
He also been charged with attempted rape and robbery, the Metropolitan Police said.
Police said Ms Aleena suffered serious head injuries, which was confirmed in a post-mortem examination.
No weapons are thought to have been used.
Ms Aleena was attacked as she walked home from a night out along Cranbrook Road in Ilford, towards Gants Hill station, in the early hours of Sunday morning.Police said Jordan McSweeney will appear in custody at Thames Magistrates’ Court later on Wednesday.
In their statement released on Wednesday morning through the police, Ms Aleena's family described her as a "beloved human, child, niece, cousin, granddaughter, friend to all, she was a joy to all of us."
Her family said she was a carer for her mother and her grandmother, adding: "Caring for others came so naturally to her."
She first said she wanted to be a lawyer at the age of five, and "her sense of justice and fairness led her to a life of giving and caring for others – supporting refugees fleeing violence, giving voice to those who had less power."
She had that "special habit" of noticing when others were in need, and put their needs before her own.
Her family said she had completed her legal practice course so that she could begin work as a solicitor. She had only recently started working for the Royal Court of Justice to complete her two-year work placement to become fully-qualified.
In the detailed statement, her family called for change on Wednesday - urging an end to violence against women and girls.
Read Zara Aleena's family statement in full
"Zara was happy and at a point in her life that she had worked hard for, she had completed her Legal Practice Course so that she could practise as a solicitor.
"She only recently started working for the Crown Prosecution Service, to complete her two-year work placement in order to become a fully qualified solicitor. She was fierce: she didn’t just survive, she thrived.
"She walked everywhere. She put her party shoes in a bag and donned her trainers. She walked. Zara believed that a woman should be able to walk home. Now, her dreams of a family are shattered, her future brutally taken.
"We all know women should be safe on our streets. She was in the heart of her community, 10 minutes from home.
"We all need to be talking about what happened to OUR ZARA, we all need to be talking about this tragedy.
"These last few days have been shocking and unimaginable.
The family statement branded her killing a "savage, sickening, act."
It continued: "We must PREVENT and STOP violence against women and girls.
"Our loss is irreparable and the void feels insurmountable but the warmth and kindness that our community has shown is testament to the power of Zara’s spirit. Her life has been stolen from us. She has been stolen from us all.
"REST IN POWER ZARA NATASHA ALEENA."
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