A woman has appeared in court charged with the murder of Mee Kuen Chong, whose body was found in woodland in Salcombe.

Jemma Mitchell, aged 36, of Brondesbury Park, Brent, in London, appeared in custody at Willesden Magistrates’ Court. She will next appear at the Old Bailey on Tuesday, 13 July.

Mee Kuen Chong, 67, known to friends as Deborah, was found in an area of woodland near to Bennett Road in Salcombe, on Sunday, 27 June.

Mee had been reported missing from her home in London on Friday, 11 June. Her death was initially treated as unexplained with enquiries led by Devon and Cornwall Police.

A post-mortem examination took place at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital on Monday, 28 June. A cause of death has not yet been ascertained.

On Tuesday, 6 July, further enquiries undertaken by Devon and Cornwall Police in South Devon and the London area led to a murder investigation being launched by the Met’s Specialist Crime Command.

Crime scenes remain in place at two residential premises in North West London and at woodland in South Devon. Police searches are likely to continue over the coming days.

Mee was originally from Malaysia but had been living in Wembley for over 30 years. Her family has been updated about this development and are being supported by specially trained officers.