FAMILY and friends of a loving mother found dead in a pool of blood by her 11-year-old daughter are today coming to terms with the tragedy.

The 33-year-old woman was discovered by her daughter when she returned home from school on Wednesday.

The woman, who has been named locally as Jennifer Morgan, had been lying in a pool of blood outside the property in the back yard area in Alexander Place in Kirkintilloch’s Waterside.

The Evening Times understands she had been brutally stabbed before her killer bolted from the scene.

Her daughter then returned home where she saw her mum lying in the ground. The alarm was raised and emergency services rushed to the scene at 3.40pm.

The Evening Times reported yesterday that the neighbours spotted the youngster sitting on a wall alone crying after the grim discovery.

Michael Dunn, 58, who has lived in the area for 30 years said: “I came back to my house after taking my wife to a doctor appointment, I spotted the girl and I thought, ‘What is wrong with her?’

“My daughter went over and asked her if she was okay. She said: ‘My mother’s passed away’.

He added: “She’s walked in and seen the blood. Then she has obviously went round and saw her mum, and ran out.

“We took the wee girl in until her dad arrived to take her home. For an 11-year-old lassie to see her mother like that is just horrible.”

Jennifer, who is originally from the city’s Maryhill, had also lived in Coatbridge previously. It is understood that she moved into the property in Kirkintilloch around three weeks ago.

She was described as a loving mother by those closest to her.

A friend, who did not want to be named, told The Evening Times: “She lived for her daughter. She didn’t have much but she had her little girl. She was such a lovely girl and we are all so shocked.”

Her heartbroken sister Laura Evans said that she loved her sister so much, and thanked family and friends for their words.

Another friend described ‘Jen’ as a “happy, bubbly and funny’ lassie who could light up a room with her big smile.

Police Scotland confirmed that they are treating the incident as murder and the force said they were following a positive line of enquiry.

This afternoon, officers were continuing their enquiries by conducting a search at an address in Maryhill.