The family of a young woman who was found stabbed in a car park at Crawley train station in August have paid tribute to “a much-loved daughter, sister and mother” who “had her whole life ahead of her”.
Stephanie Marie from Horley was found dying inside a tent at the station. Paramedics attempted to save her life, but she was later pronounced dead at the scene, an inquest heard this month.
At a hearing at Lewes crown court in August, Jason Pascal Flore, 26, was charged with her murder and remanded in custody.
Her family said the 19-year-old student, who was born in Mauritius, had her whole life ahead of her.
In a statement, they said: “Stephanie was a much-loved daughter, sister and mother. We are devastated that her young life has been ended in this way. She had her whole life ahead of her. At school she excelled at sport and loved basketball, football and gymnastics. We will miss her so much. Life will never be the same.”
Officers were called to a report of an altercation between a man and woman on Station Way in Crawley at about 7.10am on Sunday 18 August.
The area was searched and a woman was found in a nearby car park “with stab injuries”, Sussex police said. The investigation has been taken over by the British Transport Police.
Earlier this month, coroner’s officer Rachel Greenhill told an inquest in Horsham that the emergency services were called to the scene following reports from a member of the public.
“On first attendance, police have located Ms Marie unconscious within a tent, with apparent stab wounds,” she said. “Paramedics arrived and attempted life-saving measures on Ms Marie, but sadly she was later declared deceased at scene.”
After a postmortem examination at Worthing hospital on 23 August, the provisional cause of death was given as stab wounds to the heart and aorta.
At the initial hearing at Lewes crown court, senior investigating officer Det Supt Sam Blackburn said: “Our specialist officers are supporting Stephanie’s family and friends. We continue to urge anyone with any information which could aid our investigation to get in touch with us.”
A trial is expected to take place at the same court in February next year.
