Sara Sharif’s father and stepmother ‘should never have been trusted’ with her care, review finds
Murdered Sara Sharif ‘failed by authorities’ who left her living with abusive dad
- A safeguarding review has concluded that 10-year-old Sara Sharif, who died from horrific abuse in Woking, was failed by the system, with her father's history of domestic abuse "overlooked and underestimated" by professionals.
- The report identified numerous missed opportunities by authorities to protect Sara, despite a "great deal of information available" regarding her family and concerns raised since her birth in 2013.
- Sara sustained 71 recent injuries, including 25 broken bones, at the time of her death; her father, Urfan Sharif, and stepmother, Beinash Batool, were subsequently jailed for her murder.
- The review highlighted that Sharif was granted custody in 2019 despite earlier abuse allegations and arrests, and that race, culture, religion, or heritage were not properly considered in her case.
- Among 15 recommendations, the review called for improvements in how children's services referrals are handled and updated guidance requiring formal meetings for home-schooling applications involving children known to social care.