Devastated neighbours have paid tribute to an "intelligent" woman whose death on Christmas Day sparked a murder investigation.

Parwin Quriashi, 19, was found with horrific injuries in a top floor flat in Kentish Court, London Road, Maidstone, on Tuesday at around 1.20pm.

The teenager's husband, 27-year-old Mohammad Qoraishi, has since been charged with her murder and appeared at Medway Magistrates' Court this morning.

Forensic investigators remain at the scene of the police investigation where officers have guarded a flat in the three-storey block for the past three days.

Mrs Quriashi's former neighbour from when she lived in a flat in Castle Road, Allington, said: "She was a lovely girl, lovely looking too. She would speak to you every time she saw us.

"When they first came over here she and her brother were learning to read with easy learning books. They were on the stairs and took it in turns to read.

"You could not have had a nicer person. She was very intelligent. I don't want to believe this."

Police were alerted to Mrs Quriashi's death at around lunchtime on Tuesday when a neighbour in Kentish Court saw a distressed boy alone in a car.

Paramedics arrived and she was confirmed dead at the scene.

A murder probe began and Qoraishi, of London Road, Maidstone, was arrested.

After two-and-a-half days of questioning he was charged with one count of murder.

He appeared at Medway Magistrates' Court this morning and was remanded in custody ahead of another hearing at Maidstone Crown Court on Monday.