North Lakes: Mum-of-two murdered during late-night home invasion as she tried to fight off intruders

A British expat and mother-of-two has been tragically murdered fighting off intruders trying to break into her family’s home on a Boxing Day. 

Emma Lovell, 41, and her husband Lee, 43, were inside their North Lakes home, north of Brisbane, on Monday night when intruders allegedly forced their way inside.

They were confronted by the Lovells and a scuffle allegedly broke out on the front porch. 

Mrs Lovell was injured in the altercation and died at the scene, despite desperate attempts by paramedics to revive her.

Her husband suffered non-life threatening injuries. 

Queensland Police told Daily Mail Australia on Tuesday four men are currently assisting with their inquiries. No arrests or charges have been laid. 

Emma Lovell, 41, was allegedly murdered trying to defend her North Lakes home from intruders on Boxing Day

Whitfield Crescent in North Lakes remained a crime scene on Tuesday morning

Photos posted on social media just hours earlier show the family enjoying their Christmas with relatives at Point Cartwright Headland, 71km north, on the Sunshine Coast. 

‘So for the 1st time in 11 years we spent Christmas day on the beach, even managed to cook up some bacon and eggs!’ Mr Lovell wrote online. 

‘Hope everyone has a great Christmas day spent with loved ones and friends.’ 

Tributes have started flowing for Ms Lovell as devasted friends flocked online after hearing the news.

A friend said Mrs Lovell was ‘such a beautiful person’.

‘My heart is broken,’ she wrote in a post online. 

Another friend said: ‘She was soo lovely. I’m completely saddened.’

Mrs Lovell’s husband Lee (pictured together) suffered non-life-threatening injuries during the attack

Photos posted online just hours earlier show the family enjoying Christmas Day at the beach 

Others sent their condolences to Mr Lovell and their children as they come to terms with the loss of their wife and mother. 

‘We are terribly sorry. This is devastating,’ one woman said.

‘Please reach out to us if we can assist in any way.’

The men assisting police were seen at the scene dressed in forensic suits speaking with officers before they were escorted to police vans and driven away. 

Police have set up a crime scene and launched a homicide investigation.

Forensic officers spent the night at the cordoned-off home scouring for evidence and remained there early Tuesday morning.

The late night Boxing Day tragedy in what’s been described as a ‘nice little street’ has shocked neighbours.

Four men are assisting with police with their inquiries after a woman died during a violent home invasion on Monday night

‘This is incredible, I’ve never seen so many police cars,’ Leanne Bryce told Channel Nine.

‘This is really scary stuff. This is a little too close to home I think. I had no idea, no idea at all. so I think I’ll keep the dog nice and close over the next few days.’

Ben O’Connor woke up late Monday night to find multiple police and ambulance vehicles in his street.

‘When I woke up and my wife got me up and there was a woman laying at the front of the lawn,’ he told the Courier Mail.

‘It’s just frightening, you read and hear about it on the news but you wouldn’t think it would happen a few doors down.’

Police urge anyone with information or footage to contact Crime Stoppers.