Friends and colleagues of a Filipino carer found dead in her home have paid tribute to a loving mother and dedicated worker.

Charito Cruz, also known as Che, was found dead by police in her house opposite the Robert Peel pub in Cambridge Road, Kingston, on Monday evening, September 26.

A police spokesman said she was found with head injuries.

Abigail Pickering, whose cousin married Miss Cruz’s brother Roberto, said: “She was a very quiet person – a very, very secretive person.

“She never complained of anything. She was actually a workaholic.

“She was a hard-working woman and a loving mother.”

Miss Cruz, who had a two-year-old daughter Hannah, worked as a carer at the Galsworthy House home on Kingston Hill.

Emma Charlton, from the home, said: "Staff and residents have been deeply saddened by the terrible news of Charito's death. Our thoughts are with her loved ones at this time."

Miss Pickering said Miss Cruz, from Silang, 30 miles south of Manila, came to the UK as a student three or four years ago and initially lived with her brother in Kingston.

She said she moved after she fell pregnant, and was in the process of applying for permanent British residency at the time of her death.

Mrs Pickering said Mr Cruz, who recently moved to Australia with his wife, had just come back from a holiday in the Philippines when British police phoned him about his sister’s death.

He is now flying back to the UK.

The family has been touched by tragedy before, when another brother was lost at sea about 10 years ago.

Mrs Pickering said the family would appeal to the Filipino community to help raise the funds to fly Miss Cruz back home to be buried.

* Asad Niazi, 29, of Cambridge Road, Kingston, appeared in court charged with murder this morning.

He was remanded in custody until Friday for a bail hearing at the Old Bailey.

Did you know Miss Cruz? Contact newsdesk@surreycomey.co.uk with your tributes or call 0208 744 4244.