KULAI, MALAYSIA: They had raised the ransom and the money was dropped off. After that the family waited in hope that Lai Ying Xin would turn up on their doorstep.

Instead, what the family received was the dreaded phone call from the police. They were asked to come down to the Sultanah Aminah Hospital mortuary. Their hopes crumbled.

"We could not come up with the sum the kidnappers had initially demanded.

"Even when the sum of RM35,000 (S$14,500) was agreed upon, we did not have the money," said the victim's brother-in-law, Alex Wong.

"We borrowed from relatives and friends and we were very confident that Ying Xin would be returned to us safely after the ransom was paid."

Wong said Ying Xin, third in a family of four children, was pretty, intelligent, jovial and generally loved by everyone who knew her.

She normally finished work by 9pm and her mother, Chia Siew Peng, 45, would pick her up from the hypermarket.

However, that Thursday, Ying Xin called her mother and told her that she needed to buy something. She told her mother her friend would be bringing her home later.

Ying Xin was always independent. She produced good results, caused no problems and was obedient.

"That was why her mother did not mind her coming home a little late," said Wong.

Except for Wong, Ying Xin's family members refused to speak to anyone at their home in Taman Gunung Pulai here.

Ying Xin's remains are still at the mortuary awaiting DNA confirmation. Wong said they identified her through the clothing she wore and her necklace.