The family of a mother allegedly murdered as she slept in bed with her husband and baby in their London home have called for justice. Kirandeep Kaur, 24, was allegedly attacked by Daniel Sean James in her home in Hayes, west London, on the morning of July 12. Her relatives also urged for her body to be returned to India.
Details of the attack
Ms Kaur had been living in the UK since 2024 on a student visa, according to ITV News. She suffered a stab wound to the chest and was pronounced dead at 8.26am. Speaking to ITV News, Ms Kaur's mother Baljeet said: "We send them somewhere safe to study then this happens. We didn’t realise hooliganism and violence is happening there too. We want justice, we want our daughter’s body returned from Hayes."
Ms Kaur's brother Gurvinder Singh said the family had found out only on Friday that she had died. He said: "We were shocked, we don’t understand what we can do." Mr Singh added that the family do not have anyone who could bring Ms Kaur's body back home to their village in Punjab.
Fundraising efforts
A GoFundMe page has been set up by the Sri Guru Singh Sabha Southall Gurdwara to help raise money for funeral arrangements for Ms Kaur, as well as the repatriation of her body to India and for her family. As of Friday night, it has raised more than £34,600.
The suspect's actions
Before the random attack, James allegedly walked through a playing field in Hayes dressed all in black and carrying a large knife. The 46-year-old was caught on CCTV and doorbell cameras approaching three different addresses before coming up behind a man in his 20s in the street and stabbing him in the back, it is claimed. Minutes later, at around 7.51am, he allegedly kicked at the door of the home Ms Kaur shared with her husband and three-month-old baby, and broke in while they were asleep in bed.
The husband awoke to the sound of a scream from his wife and saw a figure leaving the bedroom, prosecutor Charlene Sumnall told the Old Bailey on Thursday. The court heard James, of Mercer Place in Pinner, west London, left the property in Uxbridge Road two minutes later by jumping out of a window from the kitchen-living room area. Having broken both ankles, he allegedly tried to flee but collapsed after 10 metres.
Legal proceedings
The Old Bailey was told that both victims were complete strangers to the defendant, who was treated in hospital before being taken into custody. He was subsequently charged with the murder of Ms Kaur, attempted murder and having a blade. Judge Nigel Lickley KC set a plea hearing for October 1 and a provisional three-week trial from April 5 next year, while James was remanded into custody.
