A UK court will sentence Sara Sharif father and stepmother on Tuesday. Their conviction followed the horrific abuse that caused her tragic death. This deeply disturbing case has shocked the entire nation.
Sara Sharif, a 10-year-old British-Pakistani girl, died in August 2023. Authorities found her lifeless body in her bed. Shockingly, her body showed over 100 injuries, including bruises, bite marks, and burns. Additionally, she suffered at least 25 broken bones. A post-mortem revealed a broken hyoid bone in her neck, caused by throttling.
Father Admits to Brutal Abuse
Urfan Sharif, 43, confessed to brutally beating Sara with a cricket bat. He admitted doing so while she was bound with tape. He also confessed to throttling her with his bare hands.
Meanwhile, Sara’s stepmother, Beinash Batool, 30, and her uncle, Faisal Malik, 29, faced trial. After a 10-week hearing at the Old Bailey, the court found them guilty of causing or allowing her death.
Events Leading to Sara Sharif Death
On the day of Sara’s death, the three adults panicked and fled their home in Woking, southwest of London. They took five other children and flew to Pakistan. While heading to the airport, Urfan Sharif called the police to report Sara’s death. He left a note behind, saying, “I lost it. I didn’t mean to kill her.”
One month later, the trio returned to the UK, where authorities arrested them immediately. However, the five other children remain in Pakistan, and their current living conditions are unknown.
Sara Sharif Case Raises Concerns
Sara’s horrific treatment raises serious concerns about failures in the child protection system. In April 2023, Sharif withdrew Sara from school, claiming she would be homeschooled. Earlier that year, her teachers had already raised red flags after noticing injuries on her face.
Despite these warnings, no action followed. One teacher revealed that Sara often tried to hide her injuries. She wore a hijab to cover bruises and refused to explain what happened.
Libby Clark from the Crown Prosecution Service called Sara’s treatment “appalling and brutal.” Similarly, Children’s Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza criticized the system. She said, “Sara was failed in the starkest terms by the safety net of services around her.”
Clearly, the system overlooked multiple warning signs. Despite being known to social services since birth, Sara did not receive the protection she desperately needed.
