It was her dream to become a doctor - like her father.

That was her ambition before Ong Pan Hui, 15, was murdered last Saturday in Marsiling.

Her mother, who is twice divorced, told The New Paper: "Pan Hui's natural father is a doctor too and she thought it was a noble profession as it could save lives."

According to her mother, Pan Hui was a thrifty girl who was aware of the family's tight financial situation after her mother's divorce. She would not consider private tuition even though she was weak in English and Science. Despite that, she managed to come in top three in her class in 2003 and 2004.

She would even record her daily expenses and remind herself not to overspend.

She was also independent and would look after her 4-year-old stepbrother after fetching him home from the childcare centre while her mother was working.

The girl had come to Singapore in 2002 with her mother, but was apprehensive at first because it was a foreign land. But she grew to like it here and eventually took up citizenship.

Her mother, who declined to be named, divorced her Singaporean husband four months ago. Ong Pang Siew, 45, a private bus driver, is charged with the girl's murder.

The family had been looking forward to moving to their new HDB flat in the eastern part of Singapore.

For more details, pick up a copy of The New Paper today.