Systemic Failures Led to Tragic Death of 10-Year-Old
A devastating safeguarding review has exposed how multiple agencies failed to protect 10-year-old Sara Sharif from her violent father, who subjected her to unimaginable torture before her death in August 2023. The report reveals that professionals repeatedly missed opportunities to intervene as evidence of Urfan Sharif's extensive history of domestic abuse was "overlooked, not acted on and underestimated" across the system.
Missed Opportunities and Fatal Oversights
Sara suffered more than 100 injuries in what a judge described as the worst crime he had ever encountered. The young girl was tied up, hooded with a plastic bag secured with parcel tape, and beaten with a cricket bat, metal pole and rolling pin. Her neck was broken during strangulation, she was burned with an iron and bitten during the horrific abuse that culminated in her death on August 8, 2023.
The review identified numerous critical failures, including social workers' reluctance to question why Sara suddenly began wearing a hijab in 2021 to conceal her injuries. Professionals admitted fearing they might cause offence by investigating this change, despite the fact that no one else in her family wore religious headwear.
Urfan Sharif, aged 43, had a 16-year history of attacking women and children, including allegations involving babies, yet he successfully deceived police, teachers, social services and even judges who granted him custody of Sara in 2019 based on flawed assessments.
Catalogue of Errors in Child Protection
The damning report outlines how safeguarding processes were consistently bypassed:
- Inexperienced social workers under pressure to be "speedy" failed to conduct basic checks
- Home visits were delayed due to staff sickness and annual leave
- Confusion about data protection laws prevented information sharing
- Critical evidence of Sharif's abusive behaviour was "lost within the system"
Four clear opportunities to save Sara were missed after she was placed in her father's care following a family court decision described as "pivotal" in the review. The court ruling was based on a report by an inexperienced social worker that contained critical gaps in information about Sharif's violent history.
During COVID-19 lockdowns, Sara "effectively disappeared from view" as daily beatings intensified. Neighbours who heard her screams admitted not reporting their concerns because they feared being branded racist.
Final Weeks and Legacy for Change
In her last months, teachers noticed bruises on Sara in June 2022, but the frightened child would pull down her hijab and dismiss injuries as accidents. Her school had no knowledge of Sharif's violent history as this information wasn't in their records.
Sharif subsequently withdrew Sara to be home-schooled on April 17, 2023, falsely claiming she had been bullied. She was never seen alive outside her home again. A home education visit scheduled within 10 days was repeatedly delayed and, when it finally occurred on August 7, officials went to the wrong address. Sara died two days later.
The review concludes that "different actions could and should have been taken and the system failed to keep her safe." However, it states that no individual should face dismissal as Sara's death resulted from systemic failures rather than one specific malfunction.
The partnership has recommended new legal powers for professionals to see children being home-schooled, noting that Sara's father and stepmother used home education "to keep Sara hidden from view in the last weeks of her life."
Terence Herbert, Chief Executive of Surrey County Council, expressed deep sorrow for the findings and committed to implementing all recommendations. The report serves as a stark reminder of the need for social workers to maintain the capacity to "think the unthinkable" when assessing child safety.
