World
December 12, 2024 09:10
london - A shocking case of abuse and murder in the UK leaves a 10-year-old girl dead and her father and stepmother convicted of the crime.
10-year-old British girl Sara was tragically murdered, leading to the conviction of her father and stepmother following their escape to Pakistan.
The father is accused of beating the girl so severely that she did not survive. In an unexpected confession in a London court, he admitted, 'She died because of me,' as reported by the BBC.
The United Kingdom has been gripped by a distressing legal case surrounding the death of Sara, a girl from Woking. She passed away last year under suspicious circumstances. The father, a taxi driver, fled to Pakistan with his stepwife and a brother a day before Sara's body was discovered in bed.
Prior to her death, the girl had reportedly been subjected to prolonged abuse. Her parents were separated, and her Polish mother Olga struggled to maintain contact with Sara, who was raised in an Islamic household. Sara had been wounded and neglected for years and was already on the radar of child protection services. The father and stepmother have been convicted of murder, with their sentencing pending. The brother has been acquitted.
The father had previously confessed over the phone to the police before abruptly moving to Islamabad. 'It wasn't my intention to kill her, but I hit her too hard,' he stated. He told the police back then that he only intended to discipline his daughter 'because she was naughty.' 'I am a strict father,' he added.
Sara's body exhibited numerous bruises, traumatic head injuries, at least 25 fractures, as well as bite and burn marks. In 2010, the father was arrested for assaulting his wife Olga. Sara was placed under supervision almost immediately after birth. A social worker made regular visits to the family. She briefly stayed in foster care in 2014.
However, after Sharif accused her mother of mistreating the child, a family court ruled that Sara could live with her father again, alongside his new partner Beinash Batool. Eventually, she received homeschooling exclusively, raising concerns among authorities. Later, she returned to school wearing a hijab. Despite the head covering, a teacher noticed injuries on her face and informed child protection services again, but the school was told no action would be taken.
Chief Inspector Mark Chapman of Surrey Police stated that further investigation will determine whether the police, social services, the court, or the education system failed in the years and months leading up to her death. He labeled the case as the most 'shocking' in his nearly 30-year career.