Family of graduate killed on her birthday say 'light in our life is extinguished'

Christina Abbotts. Photo / Sussex Police

A university graduate was found bludgeoned to death in her bed after she failed to turn up to her own birthday party.

Tributes have been paid to Christina Abbotts, 29, who was found after neighbours say her worried father turned up at the flat she was staying in in Crawley, West Sussex, when friends had not heard from her.

Her family paid tribute to a "sweet and loving daughter", saying: "The light in our life is now extinguished," the Daily Telegraph reported.

Zahid Naseem, a 47-year-old businessman who was known to Abbotts and was found at the flat, has appeared before magistrates charged with her murder.

Abbotts, who described herself as a "traveller" and a "foodie", had posted excited messaged on social media about the party on her birthday in London.

Just days before her death she had changed her Facebook profile picture to one of herself with a crown, party poppers and champagne drawn on and the message: "It's birthday time!!"

When Abbotts, who studied Real Estate Management at Oxford Brookes University, did not turn up her loved ones went looking for her at the flat in Highams Hill, Crawley.

Deliveroo driver Aaron Harvey, 24, who lives nearby, said: "This man came over, saying he had been looking for his blonde 28-year-old daughter and had I seen her.

"He said she had been house-sitting for a man in a flat here for four months.

"He said no-one had heard from her for about 10 hours and he was worried.

"He said it was her birthday and she had booked a hotel in London to celebrate with friends but never turned up."

First picture of Christina Abbotts found bludgeoned to death in Crawley
https://t.co/q6Yx0Xgb9a

— The Sun (@TheSun) May 28, 2018

The police were called on Saturday NZT and found Abbotts body.

Naseem, a company director, appeared at Brighton Magistrates' Court today charged with murder.

The marketing specialist has lived with his long term partner Helen in a £600,000 semi detached house in a conservation area of Amersham in Buckinghamshire for around five years, his neighbours said.

One said: "I am really just too shocked to say anything about him. He is our neighbour and a lovely man."

He was found at the property in Crawley and arrested after being treated for minor injuries, police said.