Sara Sharif: Girl, 10, wore hijab to hide injuries, court told
Photo credit: Surrey Police
Sara Sharif's remains were discovered at her residence in Woking on August 10 of the previous year.
Christian Fuller and Helena Wilkinson
In a court hearing, it was reported that a 10-year-old girl, who is said to have died due to the actions of her father, stepmother, and uncle, wore a hijab to conceal the injuries on her face that she had sustained in the period before her death.
The jurors were informed that Sara Sharif started wearing the religious headscarf in January 2023, which was seven months prior to the discovery of her body at her family's home in Woking, Surrey.
A neighbor noted that it was "strange" for Sara to be the only one in her large extended family living at that address who wore a hijab, as stated in court at the Old Bailey.
Her father, Urfan Sharif, aged 42, her stepmother, Beinash Batool, who is 30, and her uncle, Faisal Malik, 29, have all pleaded not guilty to the murder charges.
Prosecutor Bill Emlyn Jones KC stated that the hijab represented a way to hide the injuries on her face and head from others.
According to the court, Sara's primary school observed a bruise beneath her left eye in June 2022. Additionally, in March 2023, they noticed a bruise on her chin and a dark spot near her right eye.
She provided several inconsistent stories about how she sustained her injuries and used her hijab to hide her face when teachers asked her about it, according to Mr. Emlyn Jones KC.
In April 2023, she transitioned to being home-schooled.
Photo credit: Surrey Police
Sara's dad, Urfan Sharif, her stepmother, Beinash Batool, and her uncle, Faisal Malik, have all stated that they did not commit murder.
Mr. Emlyn Jones KC also shared testimonies from neighbors who resided close to the Sharifs, including a woman who lived near the family's former home in West Byfleet.
The woman reported that she heard extremely loud noises, including slapping sounds, along with intense, heart-wrenching screams from young girls.
Another former neighbor reported hearing loud banging and rattling noises, often alongside the cries or screams of a child, as the court was informed.
Mr. Emlyn Jones KC mentioned that it felt like someone was pounding on a door, attempting to get inside or signal to someone that they were behind it.
Photo credit: Surrey Police
Urfan Sharif, Beinash Batool, and Faisal Malik are each confronting two accusations connected to the death of Sara Sharif.
The court had earlier been informed that Mr. Sharif, Ms. Batool, and Mr. Malik went to Islamabad, Pakistan, along with Sara's five siblings on August 9, 2023, which was the day before her body was discovered.
According to prosecutors, Mr. Sharif contacted the police in Pakistan and confessed to killing Sara approximately an hour after his family's arrival at the Islamabad airport.
Jurors were informed that Mr. Sharif's position was that Ms. Batool played a role in Sara's death. He allegedly made a false confession during a phone call and in a written note to shield his wife from blame.
The court was informed that Sara experienced 11 breaks in her spine, burns on her buttocks from a household iron, six likely bite marks from a person, and indicators of a brain injury due to trauma.
The three individuals who cohabited with Sara prior to her passing are also accused of contributing to or permitting the death of a child, a claim they refute.
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