A 33-year-old woman of Indian descent appeared before a court in the United Kingdom on Wednesday, facing charges of murdering her 10-year-old daughter. The shocking incident occurred at their residence in a town situated in the West Midlands region of England.
Identified as Jaskirat Kaur, also known as Jasmine Kang, the accused appeared before Wolverhampton Magistrates Court to answer for the murder of Shay Kang. Shay was remembered as "bright and fun-loving" by her school in a heartfelt tribute.
West Midlands Police issues statement
West Midlands Police reported that the young girl was found with injuries at their home in Rowley Regis on Monday (March 4) and was declared dead at the scene. "Our thoughts remain with Shay's family and friends. Her tragic death has had a profound impact on those who knew her as well as the wider community. We ask that they are left to grieve in private as our enquiries continue," said Detective Inspector Dan Jarratt of West Midlands Police.
"The community has understandably been left shocked by what's happened, and we'll continue to have a police presence and offer our support in the area over the coming days," he added.
Accused mother arrested
Jaskirat Kaur had been arrested on Monday from the residential property where her daughter's body was found. A cordon remains in place at the property on Robin Close and a post-mortem is to be held in due course to establish the cause of death. "At this stage we are not looking for anyone else as part of the investigation," the police said at the time.
Victim's school pays tribute
Brickhouse Primary School, where Shay was a pupil, issued a statement to say the school was deeply saddened by the tragic death. "Shay was a bright, happy, fun-loving child who was well-liked by all, and she will be very sadly missed by everyone. School is the heart of the community and we have already begun working with our children and staff to support them following this devastating news," read the statement.
Funds being raised for her funeral
Tributes, including toys, cards, and balloons, have been placed near the police cordon on Robin Close in Rowley Regis, where the young schoolgirl resided with her mother. In a heartwarming display of solidarity, some parents whose children attended the same school have initiated an online "GoFundMe campaign" to gather funds for Shay's funeral expenses. The fundraiser has already amassed over GBP 3,800 in donations.
The fundraiser description reads: "Given that she had no family apart from her mother, we aim to unite as a community to raise funds for her funeral arrangements, as well as to contribute towards flowers, a headstone, and other related expenses."
(With inputs from PTI)
