3 days ago
Children pay tribute to ‘devoted' mother killed in alleged assault
The children of a 'devoted' mother who died after she was allegedly attacked by a driver whose car overturned have paid tribute to her as 'a beautiful, vibrant soul'.
Nila Patel, 56, died in hospital on June 26 following an incident in which she was injured in Aylestone Road, Leicester, two days earlier.
Leicestershire Police said it received a call shortly after 5.30pm reporting that a white BMW 1 series had crashed near to the Voco hotel and Leicester Royal Infirmary on June 24 before the assault allegedly took place.
Police said the provisional cause of Ms Patel's death has been given as a head injury.
Ms Patel's son Jaidan Patel and her daughter Danika Patel released a tribute to their mother through police on Tuesday and said: 'We are heartbroken, but we want the world to know who our mum truly was – a beautiful, vibrant soul who deserved so much more.
'She was a devoted mother, a loyal friend, and an incredibly hard worker.
'At home and in her career, she gave everything she had – never complaining, always giving.
'She raised us with patience, love, and unwavering support, and our greatest wish was always to make her proud.
'We will miss her more than words can ever express.
'We didn't get the chance to say goodbye, and that pain is something we carry every day. But we will continue to speak her name with pride, honour her memory, and live by the values she taught us.
'Mum's story matters. Her life mattered. We ask that anyone who hears her story helps us keep her name and memory alive.'
Police said 23-year-old Michael Chuwuemeka, of Dover Street, Leicester, has been charged with her murder and appeared via video-link at Leicester Crown Court, sitting in Loughborough, on Tuesday.
The force said Chuwuemeka has also been charged with dangerous driving, possession with intent to supply class B drugs, attempted grievous bodily harm relating to an incident on Welford Road prior to the collision and assault of an emergency worker following an alleged assault on a police officer after his arrest.
He has also been charged with causing actual bodily harm in connection with a separate victim in London in the early hours of June 24, police said.
