Final text messages from a former top student before her body was found dumped near quarry in Sydney

A former top student poured her heart out to a friend about her ‘overwhelming anxiety’ just weeks before her charred and half naked body was dumped near a quarry.

Najma Carroll’s body was found in bushland near Sandy Point Quarry off Heathcote Road in Menai, Sydney’s south, at 5.15pm on Wednesday by a local taking their dog for a walk. 

The 33-year-old suffered head injuries and early examinations indicate that attempts had been made to set her body on fire. A murder investigation has been launched.

Text messages sent to a friend in the weeks leading up to her death show a young woman plagued by anxiety and troubles.

Ms Najma was a student at selective school Sydney Girls High and she achieved top HSC marks in modern history and advanced English.

But in recent years, Ms Carroll was ‘living a rough life’ amid struggles with her mental health. 

Her friend Ian Clare told The Daily Telegraph he and his girlfriend let Ms Carroll stay with them in Liverpool.

NSW Police officers return from searching bushland near Sandy Point Quarry in Menai on Thursday (pictured)

Ms Carroll’s friend Ian Clare shared final text messages from the 33-year-old former top student (pictured, left and right)

In one text message, Ms Carroll told Mr Clare: ‘I’m going to stop writing messages now because more words sent on a text message are not going to relieve any anxiety I have, they’re not going to do anything but probably make me feel worse.’

Ms Carroll left her kelpie Chuck behind at their home and in another text said she wanted to visit the dog because ‘things haven’t been easy lately’. 

Mr Clare told the publication he last saw Ms Carroll about a month ago, when the 33-year-old visited his house to grab some of her belongings. 

He described Ms Carroll as ‘nice and compassionate’ but said she was ‘a very unsettled girl, very emotionally disturbed’.

‘Last we spoke to her she was living around the Marrickville area on people’s couches … she was basically living the rough life, basically homeless, no steady home,’ Mr Clare said. 

NSW Police said Ms Carroll was most recently known to reside in Sydney’s Inner West. 

Police scouring the site at ‘white rock’ where Ms Carroll was found. Police have appealed for anyone with information on her death to come forward

In February, Ms Carroll came to tears after police at Central Station told her she was going to be searched. 

She told police she had ‘about a point of ice’ in a Kinder Surprise chocolate container which she was going to use. Ms Carroll pleaded guilty to drug possession in court.  

A crime scene has been established, with specialist forensic police examining the site on Thursday.

Investigators are marking the area with neon flags close to a popular dirt bike track which has been closed. 

Police have appealed to the public for information and asked anyone with information on Ms Carroll’s death to come forward.

Ms Carroll’s (pictured) body was found with head injuries and indications she had been set on fire

Police are combing the site near popular dirt bike track, which has been closed for their investigation (pictured on Thursday)

They would like to speak with anyone with knowledge of Ms Carroll’s movements in the last few days or anyone who saw anything suspicious off Heathcote Road at the site known as ‘white rock’.

Investigators are still trying to determine whether she was killed at the scene or her body was dumped there later. 

Local detectives and the State Crime Command’s Homicide Squad have launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death.

They say her injuries are consistent with a murder and are treating Ms Carroll’s death as suspicious. 

Ms Najma (pictured) was a student at selective school Sydney Girls High and she achieved top HSC marks in modern history and advanced English 

NSW Police Rescue officers speak with Detective Luke Stibbard near bushland at Sandy Point Quarry in Menai on Thursday (pictured)