Woman found collapsed in Cowley Road

7:33pm Wednesday 14th January 2009

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TRIBUTES have been paid to a mother-of-one who was found dead on her doorstep after an evening out with friends.

Monique Williams was discovered by a passer-by collapsed in Cowley Road, Oxford, early on Sunday.

The well-known 45-year-old was pronounced dead where she had fallen, at the end of the path to her mother’s home, where she had been staying.

Her family are still in shock over the sudden death.

Her mother Jeanette Sam said: “She was a loving sister, daughter and mother and will be sorely missed.”

Ms Williams was a full-time carer for her mother and had a 28-year-old daughter called Charlene Sam.

Detectives launched an investigation after her body was found at 7am on Sunday but are no longer treating the death as suspicious.

Childhood friend Lurleene Lewis, 43, said a post mortem showed Mrs Williams died of natural causes.

She said: “She had been out for the night and was just getting home some time in the morning.

“She got out of a taxi but collaped just outside the gate and before she could get to the front door.

“She was very well known around Oxford and very popular in the community. She grew up in Oxford and went to school here. The black community is quite tight and she still had many, many friends in the city.”

Ms Williams, a former pupil at Cheney School, lost her husband Stephen Williams 10 years ago.

Mrs Lewis said: “Everyone is very upset, because it’s such a shocking death.

“There were blue lights and everything going on outside her mother’s window.

“Then a police officer knocked on her door and said ‘your daughter has just passed away’. Her body was out there for quite a few hours.

“We’re all absolutely devastated. It is a great loss to the community.”

Ms Williams also leaves four brothers Kevin, 41, Kingsley, 39, Michael, 38 and Donny, 35.

Donny said: “She was the big sister for four brothers and full-time carer to her mother. She will always be missed and loved.”

Her funeral will be held at at 11am on Friday, January 23, at St Mary & St John Church in Cowley, followed by burial at Wolvercote Cemetery.