A woman was found stabbed to death in her own home after two teachers raised the alarm to say she had not picked up her kids from primary school.
The 40-year-old victim was found at her home in Bethnal Green, east London just after 4.05pm yesterday.
No arrests have been made so far and a large crime scene remains cordoned off along a nearby road.
Neighbours have said the woman, of Bengali nationality, is a mother to two young boys, one in reception and the other in year 5, who were not picked up at Bangabandhu Primary School.
Two teachers came over with officers who broke down the door to discover a body of a woman inside her home.
Met Police confirmed the woman died at the scene and that her relatives were being given support by officers.
Cops are treating the death as suspicious and detectives from the Met's Specialist Crime Command have launched an investigation.
A neighbour, 67, said: "I know she was supposed to pick up her children, two young boys, from the local school but did not come so they raised the alarm.
"The two teachers came over here with the officers when they crashed through the door.
"She has lived here for 10 years.
"She was a nice lady and we never had any problems.
"I know she had a partner and an ex-partner who visited sometimes.
"We're in complete shock because things like that do not happen around here."
A father of four, who has two kids who are classmates with the woman's kids, said: "I saw two teachers from the school knocking on the door with no answer.
"They were trying to get a response.
"Later the officers, with the teachers, came to knock the door down.
"I've got a deep sadness in my heart because you hear of what happened.
"My kids, who are classmates, are very worried about their friends.
"They're worried about her friend about what's happening to the boy, he must be crying, very very upset, who have lost their mother."
Another neighbour, 44, said they heard what sounded like a male voice saying 'you're not getting in, you're not getting in' at around 2pm.
"I don't know what happened, or even if it was connected," the neighbour continued.
"I heard screaming, I heard shouting, but that's quite normal for around here.
"But the next thing I know that same flat was getting the door smashed through by police later that day.
"I don't know the people who live there. I didn't even know what happened until I looked at the news."
A woman, 42, said: "My kids are older so I don't really talk to her but I know she lived her for a long time.
"I heard that the school was concerned after she didn't pick up her children.
"As far as I know she was a very lovely woman. No one deserves for anything like this to happen."
