A 41-year-old woman was found dead in her car early yesterday morning.

Ms Gina Goh had gone out the night before to deliver a home-made cake to a friend, but was found dead in her car with the engine still on, below the Tampines HDB block where she lived.

The police said they received a call requesting assistance at Block 453 Tampines Street 42 at around 7.30am yesterday.

Officers found the woman lying motionless in her car. She was pronounced dead by paramedics at the scene.

Ms Goh's mother Janet Ng, 68, said she did not know how the death could have happened.

"She must have been very tired, she must have just managed to drive back home and then she just fell asleep." She also said that her daughter was asthmatic.

Ms Goh, who was married without children, lived in a five-room flat in the area with her husband and her mother.

Madam Ng said: "She was my only child. I don't know how to continue without her."

Ms Goh's husband, who was away in South Korea on business, is flying back this morning.

Madam Ng described her daughter as a "helpful and filial" woman who adored dogs. "She was a very loving girl," she added.

Neighbours were taken aback to hear of Ms Goh's death.

A technician, 58, who gave his name only as Mr Mony, said: "She was such a nice lady. She would always say 'hi' to us in the lift."

Chinese evening daily Lianhe Wanbao reported that Ms Goh was a software engineer, quoting a colleague of hers who was at the scene.

The police are investigating the unnatural death.