Father and Stepmother Convicted of Murder in Harrowing Case of Sara Sharif

A British court has found Urfan Sharif and his wife, Beinash Batool, guilty of murdering Sharif’s 10-year-old daughter, Sara Sharif, in a case that has shocked the nation and raised urgent questions about child protection systems. 

Urfan Sharif and Beinash Batool

 

Sara, a British Pakistani Muslim child described by her teachers as spirited and sassy, was discovered dead on August 10, 2023, at her family home in Woking, Surrey. Her body bore evidence of prolonged and severe abuse, including bruises, bite marks, burns and multiple broken bones. 

The investigation began with a sobering 2:47 a.m. call to Surrey police from Sharif, placed thousands of miles away at Islamabad Airport in Pakistan. 

In the call, Sharif confessed, “I’ve killed my daughter. It wasn’t my intention to kill her, but I beat her up too much.” 

When authorities arrived at the home, they found Sara’s lifeless body on a bunk bed, wrapped in a blanket. Nearby, a handwritten note from Sharif admitted, “I lost it.” 

A Childhood of Violence and Neglect 

Sara playing guitar

Sara’s short life was marked by systemic neglect and abuse. Social services had been involved with her family even before her birth, documenting injuries and concerns related to her siblings. Despite these red flags, Sara was repeatedly returned to her father and stepmother’s care. 

Court records revealed a grim pattern of violence, neglect and cruelty. Teachers recalled seeing visible bruises on Sara during her rare returns to school after she was removed for homeschooling in 2022. Their concerns were dismissed after a brief investigation by social services. 

The abuse escalated in the months leading up to Sara’s death. Evidence presented in court included a bloodied cricket bat, plastic hoods and packing tape found in the family home. A post-mortem examination revealed Sara had suffered at least 25 broken bones and a traumatic brain injury. 

The Verdict and Reaction

Sharif and Batool found guilty of murder

 On December 15, 2024, the Old Bailey court in London convicted Sharif and Batool of murder. Sara’s uncle, Faisal Malik, was acquitted of murder but found guilty of allowing her death. 

Detective Chief Superintendent Mark Chapman, who led the investigation, called Sara’s case one of the most harrowing of his career. 

“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,” Chapman said. 

Detective Chief Inspector Craig Emmerson described Sara’s murder as “one of the most difficult and distressing” cases Surrey Police had ever encountered. 

Sara at various ages

Children's Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza said Sara’s death highlighted profound weaknesses in the child protection system. 

“Even before she was born, she was known to social care, and yet she fell off their radar so entirely that by the time she died, she was invisible to them all,” de Souza said. 

De Souza called for urgent reforms, including better oversight for children removed from school and placed in home education, like Sara. 

“When we say ‘never again,’ we have to mean it – let that be Sara's legacy,” de Souza added. 

Sara Sharif’s memory lives on in her community. At her former school, a polka-dot bench has been dedicated in her honor, inscribed with the words: “Sara’s buddy bench.”