Ms Aleena, 35, was attacked in Ilford as she walked home from a night out in the early hours of Sunday and left with serious head injuries. Found about 2.45am. on Cranbrook Street and died later that morning in hospital. Her aunt says Ms Aleena was “the happiest she’s ever been” after starting work at the Royal Court five weeks before she was killed. Hundreds of people are expected to attend a silent vigil for Ms Aleena on Saturday afternoon to ‘walk her home’. Jordan McSweeney, 29, has been charged with her murder, as well as attempted rape and robbery. He appeared at the Old Bailey on Friday, where he pleaded not guilty and was remanded in custody. Read more: Women urged to ‘be vigilant’ after murder probe launched into Zara Aleena’s death Ms Aleena’s aunt Farah Naz said her “independent” and “great” niece “was the joy, the light of our home”. He spoke of the family’s determination to “change something” in honor of the “extrovert”. Ms Naz told reporters: “I don’t think it will be closed, this is just the beginning of the conversation we need to have. “I want to reach out and do something important and take action, because that’s what Zara was all about – we have to make a difference. “I want to talk to the leaders of this country, I want to talk about creating projects right now to prevent violence.” Image: Farah Naz said Ms Aleena’s family were determined to ‘change something’ in honor of the ‘extrovert’ Ms Naz said her niece, known to family members as Zash or Zasherooni, was aware of the dangers women faced, particularly after the recent murders of Bibaa Henry, Nicole Smallman, Sarah Everard and Sabina Nessa. But she had felt “safe” walking around her community where she was “known to everyone”. “Zara was not a woman who was unaware that there were dangers in the world,” Ms Naz said. “He had no idea what would happen to these women. “She didn’t know she was going to be on that list because in her mind she took those precautions.” Ms Naz added: “It’s about a young woman who has lost everything and about a society that has lost someone who was giving, someone who was good. “That she spent the last few minutes of her life looking at something so horrible torments us. “He wasn’t ignoring the fact that women are getting hurt. This isn’t about making the streets safe, it’s about changing mindsets.” McSweeney, of Church Elm Lane, Dagenham, east London, will next appear at the Old Bailey on September 30 for a hearing.
