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The father and stepmother of 10-year-old Sara Sharif have been convicted of her murder after subjecting her to over two years of "horrific suffering."
Sara endured abuse that included being hooded, burned, and beaten before her body was discovered with numerous injuries at the family home in Woking, Surrey, last year, the BBC reported.
A postmortem examination revealed Sara had sustained 71 external injuries, including bruises, burns, and human bite marks. She also suffered at least 25 fractures, including a broken hyoid bone in her neck and 11 fractures to her spine, inflicted by beatings with a cricket bat, metal pole, and mobile phone, The Guardian reported.
On Wednesday, her father, Urfan Sharif, 43, and stepmother, Beinash Batool, 30, were found guilty of murder, while her uncle, Faisal Malik, 29, was convicted of causing or allowing the death of a child.
Following the verdict, Detective Chief Superintendent Mark Chapman of Surrey Police stated that in his 30-year career, he had never encountered "such horrific suffering of a young person."
"It's one of those cases that touches every single person who's involved in it, and I'm sure has touched many members of the community as well," he told BBC.
Detective Chief Inspector Craig Emmerson described Sara's murder as "one of the most challenging and distressing" cases Surrey Police has ever encountered.
In a statement delivered outside the Old Bailey, he said: "The murder of a child is utterly shocking, but the abuse Sara endured throughout her short life makes this case especially harrowing."
Children's Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza emphasized that Sara's tragic death exposed "profound weaknesses in our child protection system."
"There is no doubt that Sara was failed in the most devastating way by the safety net of services meant to protect her," she said.
"From before her birth, she was known to social care, yet she slipped so completely off their radar that by the time she died, she was invisible to them all.
"We cannot afford any more reviews, strategies, or debates. When we say 'never again,' we must mean it. Let Sara's legacy be real change."
The commissioner called for significant reforms, including "proper oversight" for children like Sara who are being home-schooled.
The trial revealed that a post-mortem examination found Sara had suffered injuries including "probable human bite marks," an iron burn, and scalding from hot water before her death on August 8 last year.
Police discovered Sara's body in a bunk bed, alongside a note written in her father's handwriting that stated: "Whoever sees this note, it's me, Urfan Sharif, who killed my daughter by beating."
Sharif initially alleged that Batool was responsible for Sara's death, claiming he had falsely confessed in the note and a subsequent phone call to shield his wife.
However, during a dramatic shift under cross-examination, Sharif later admitted "full responsibility" for his daughter's death.