A 36-year-old woman has died after sustaining serious head injuries in a “gruesome assault” in Ilford, East London, Scotland Yard said.
Police, who have launched a murder investigation, said the victim was walking along Cranbrook Road in the direction of Gants Hill station when she was attacked.
The woman, who has not yet been formally identified, died at the hospital on Sunday morning after being found injured in the early hours of the morning.
I understand that for women, especially locally, this is an incredibly disturbing incident, and I urge you to stay awake but not to worry
The Metropolitan Police said officers were called to the scene by the London Ambulance Service at 02:44.
A crime scene remains in place.
Chief Superintendent Stuart Bell, who heads the Met’s East Area Basic Command (BCU), said: “Our investigation remains in the critical early stages and is now being led by Specialist Crime Detectives.
“The woman was subjected to a gruesome assault and unfortunately died of her injuries.
“Urgent investigations have been underway since early Sunday morning to identify the woman. At this stage, formal identification has yet to take place, but the woman’s family has been informed and is receiving support from specially trained officers.
“Teams of dedicated officers work quickly to determine what happened and identify the person responsible. This includes full forensic investigation of the scene and the surrounding area, house-to-house inquiries and a focus on identifying all available CCTV.
“No arrests have been made so far.
“Local people will see a significant police presence in the area today and in the coming days.
“I understand that for women, especially locally, this is an incredibly disturbing incident, and I urge you to stay awake but not worry.”
Detective Inspector Mark Rogers, of the Met’s Specialist Crime North commando, led the investigation and said: “It is essential that my officers speak to every possible witness and everyone with information that can help the investigation.
“We appeal to anyone who was in the Cranbrook Road area of Ilford between 02:00 and 03:00 on Sunday morning to make contact, including anyone who drove through the area and possibly had dashcam footage.
“We also want to hear from anyone who has seen anything suspicious in the wider Ilford area overnight.”
Anyone with information or footage, or any witnesses, is asked to call the large incident room on 0208 345 3715.
Alternatively, you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at crimestoppers-uk.org. They will never ask for your name and can not track your call, your IP address or the device you are using.