Sara Sharif: Court Hears More Details of Alleged Abuse

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Facts

  • Sara Sharif — a 10-year-old girl who was found dead at her Surrey home in the UK last August — was reportedly forced by her father, Urfan Sharif, to do sit-ups all night because she had been 'naughty' and had hidden his keys, jurors at the Old Bailey heard on Thursday.[1][2]
  • Sara's stepmother, Beinash Batool — who, along with Urfan and his brother Faisal Malik, is under trial for the girl's murder — reportedly informed her sister Qandeela Saboohi about the physical abuse she allegedly suffered at the hands of Urfan in WhatsApp messages made between 2020 and 2023.[3]
  • In one such message, Beinash referred to an image of a bruised Sara Sharif, saying, 'You haven't even seen her body. It's a whole lot worse.'[4]
  • In another message, Beinash reportedly said Sara couldn't walk and fainted in the kitchen after Urfan allegedly forced her to do sit-ups all night. Beinash reportedly told Qandeela that the family even considered removing Sara from school because her bruising would be visible.[2]
  • Beinash, Urfan, and Faisal are accused of abuse leading to Sara's death. While Beinash and Urfan have blamed each other for the violence, Faisal, a university student, has denied involvement.[5][6][7]
  • The trio attempted to flee to Pakistan on Aug. 10, two days after Sarah's body was found with over 70 injuries. However, they were arrested on Sept. 13, 2023, at Gatwick Airport.[8][9][7]

Sources: [1]BBC News, [2]Guardian, [3]Sky News, [4]The Telegraph, [5]Vibe 107.6, [6]Hellorayo, [7]The Times, [8]Careappointments and [9]LBC.

Narratives

  • Narrative A, as provided by Guardian and Independent. Sara Sharif's tragic death must not be forgotten. The ten-year-old girl, whose life was marked by alleged abuse, was failed by those adults around her who witnessed her suffering yet remained silent. Society can't afford complacency, and must remain vigilant in protecting vulnerable children. Justice must be pursued to uphold every child's fundamental right to safety and well-being.
  • Narrative B, as provided by Sacpa and The Times. This tragic case highlights a larger systemic failure when it comes to children's services in the UK. Sara Sharif was failed by an overwhelmed, under-resourced, rigid bureaucracy, unable to act in time. Despite prior reforms and pleas for resources, children like Sara remain neglected in a crisis-laden system — there's a need for a radical overhaul of these safety nets.

Predictions