The eight-year-old girl found dead in Chadwell Heath last week died as the result of a head injury, a post-mortem has revealed.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said an examination carried out on Tuesday and Wednesday found a head injury was the cause of Ayesha Ali’s death.

Her mother, Polly Chowdhury, has been charged with her murder and will appear at the Old Bailey later this month.

The 34-year-old was arrested after paramedics discovered her daughter’s body at their home in Bedwell Court, Broomfield Road, Chadwell Heath, last Thursday.

Ambulances had been called to the flat to reports of an injured child about 11.40am, but Ayesha was pronounced dead at the scene.

Chowdhury was taken to Queen’s Hospital, Romford, with minor injuries before being arrested and charged with murder.

She is being held in prison until a preliminary hearing at the Old Bailey on September 19.

The ground floor flat was cordoned off by police as forensics officers worked for more than five hours on Thursday.

The flat has since been sealed off and the windows boarded up with metal panels.

A neighbour, who did not want to be named, described Ayesha as a “lovely” little girl.

She added: “She was so happy and skippy. They were very quiet.”

Another neighbour said another woman and a little boy, thought to be Ayesha’s brother, lived in the flat.

He added: “They just moved in a couple of months ago.

“I used to see her running around on the grass while the two women smoked.”

A note on flowers left outside the flat read: “In memory of a little girl whom I will never meet. From a neighbour. Rest in peace, amen.”

Chowdhury appeared at Barkingside Magistrates’ Court for a brief hearing on Saturday and appeared via video link at the Old Bailey on Tuesday.