‘She walked everywhere’: Zara Aleena’s family pay tribute to passionate young lawyer

‘Zara believed that a woman should be able to walk home’

| UPDATED

Zara Aleena’s family has paid tribute to the aspiring lawyer, describing her as a “joy to all of us”. Zara was killed in an attack in East London on Sunday 26 June, ten minutes from her home. She suffered serious head injuries and later died in hospital. Zara was a University of Westminster law graduate who gained her postgraduate diploma in legal practice last year.

Jordan McSweeney, 29, has been charged with the murder of Zara Aleena as well as attempted rape and robbery, Metropolitan Police has said. He has been remanded in custody after appearing at Thames Magistrates’ Court.

‘Our loss is irreparable’

Zara’s family has released a statement, following her death. It called her “the rock of our family” and describes how she led a life of “giving and caring for others”. She knew she was going to be a lawyer since she was five years old and was passionate about her work.

Tragically, it says: “Zara, 35, a beloved human, child, niece, cousin, granddaughter, friend to all, she was a joy to all of us. She was a carer for her mother, and her grandmother. Caring for others came so naturally to her. Zara was friendly, she was everybody’s friend. She was everybody’s daughter, everybody’s niece, everybody’s sister, everybody’s cousin. She was of pure heart.

“She was a joy to all of us, her sparkling eyes and the curly, jet-black hair. Her glorious laughter and her sweet, smiling voice. Her tiny frame embodied a passionate and indomitable energy. Zara was brought up by the whole of our family. She was our love in human form. At the age of five she said she was going to be a lawyer. Shrieking with joy when she spotted the birds as a child – she would giggle and make us laugh. She was always the bigger person in any situation. She was authentic and refused to try and impress anyone, but she impressed us. She was the rock of our family.

“Zara was stoic and held it all together and never complained. She glued our community together. ‘Nobody worked harder than Zara’ is what we heard from all who knew her. Zara was happy and at a point in her life when her joy was radiating and blossoming. She was ready to make a family of her own. 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 others in need and always put their needs on her agenda. A carefree spirit, with the most caring heart.”

Pictured is Zara Aleena who was murdered on the weekend. Her family pay tribute to her.

Via SWNS

“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 practice 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. Sadly, Zara is not the only one who has had her life taken at the hands of a stranger. We all know women should be safe on our streets. She was in the heart of her community, ten 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. In a savage, sickening act she was murdered by a stranger. She’s not the only woman who has lost her life like this. In the moment of this tragedy, we extend our deepest sympathy and love to the families of Bibaa Henry, Nicole Smallman, Sarah Everard, Sabina Nessa, Ashling Murphy and many more women. 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.”

A vigil on Cranbrook Road is planned for Saturday 2 July, at 2:17pm. Her family has asked attendees to wear white and to keep the mood “silent and sombre”. They said: “We want to bring her back where she belonged safely.”

Featured image credit via SWNS.

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