WAITRESS FOUND DEAD

Italian teenager Benedetta Podesta, 18, found dead at her London home by friends after her worried mum raises the alarm

Benedetta called in sick to her job at a London pub in the days before her death

laura burnip

Published: 13:12, 1 May 2017
Updated: 14:18, 1 May 2017

AN Italian teenager was found dead in her London home when her mum raised the alarm after not hearing from her daughter for four days.

Benedetta Podesta, 18, from Genoa, was working as a waitress at a pub in the capital but had called in sick in the days leading up to her death.

Benedetta was found dead at home after her mum raised the alarm — Benedetta was found dead at home after her mum raised the alarmCredit: CEN

The 18-year-old had come to London to learn English and worked as a waitress — The 18-year-old had come to London to learn English and worked as a waitressCredit: CEN

Her worried mum asked friends in London to check up on her.

They forced their way into the flat and found her body.

Officials in Genoa have opened a case and a post-mortem is expected to take place this week.

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Her dad Claudio told an her family were "destroyed" by her death.

He said: "Surviving [your] children is a chilling thing that should never happen.

"Bibi was a wonderful girl, full of life."

Friend Massimiliano D'urso wrote on Facebook: "I still do not believe it... rest in peace little angel."

Devastated friends praised the "little angel", who had called in sick to work days before — Devastated friends praised the "little angel", who had called in sick to work days beforeCredit: CEN

Benedetta's devastated ex-boyfriend Lukas Hatarik revealed he had been hoping to get back together with her and was planning to surprise her in London, reports Italian news site .

Benedetta had been in the UK for a few months after moving to London with friends to learn English.

She is understood to have worked at The Rising Sun pub on Tottenham Court Road.

Benedetta, 18, had moved to London with friends to learn English — Benedetta, 18, had moved to London with friends to learn EnglishCredit: CEN

A devastated colleague said she was too upset to speak about Benedetta's death.

She is the second young Italian woman found dead in the capital in the past month.

Just two weeks ago, student Francesca Bezuayehu Bisco, 24, was discovered by her roommate at their flat in Dalston, East London.

Her mum raised the alarm after not hearing from her for several days — Her mum raised the alarm after not hearing from her for several daysCredit: CEN

The teenager was discovered by friends at her flat in London — The teenager was discovered by friends at her flat in LondonCredit: CEN

She had moved to London from Adria, northern Italy, to study computer science and perfect her English.

Francesca had been in London for around a year and a half and worked part-time in a fast-food restaurant to finance her studies.

The cause of her death is no yet known.

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