The family of Sameena Imam have said they are “absolutely devastated” to have lost a “kind, beautiful girl”.
Sameena’s father Imam Din said: “Sameena was very special to me and my wife. I could talk for days about Sameena and what she meant to us and her sisters, brother, nieces, nephews, family and friends and it breaks our heart that we cannot have her back home where she should be.
“As a family we are absolutely devastated at the loss of Sameena. Nothing could ever have prepared us for hearing from the police that they believed that our daughter had been murdered.
“We were praying and hoping that Sameena was still alive and holding on to any little tiny bit of hope we could that the police were wrong.
“You almost have a feeling that she has died and begin to grieve, but then you go back to holding on to any little shred of hope that she may come back to us alive.
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“It is hard for us to even imagine that an innocent, kind, beautiful girl could be murdered, let alone our daughter. We are still in shock and we are all missing Sameena in so many different ways.
“Everything in our life and future has been affected even to the point of worrying about our other children and grandchildren going out and thinking they won’t be safe.”
Imran Imam, Sameena’s younger brother, said: “The circumstances in which Sameena was murdered plagues me greatly. I constantly think of her last moments and her final thoughts and fears.
“Sameena was a mentor, a guide, a counsel during difficult times. I will no longer be able to seek her advice.
“I am forever reminded of her loss with constant triggers to memories from her life; worst still with triggers such as road signs for locations which I understand are linked to her death.”
