Mum's heartbreaking call for answers 2 years after girls, 8, were killed when Land Rover ploughed into Wimbledon school
Nuria Sajjad and Selena Lau both died after the tragedy at The Study Prep School, in Wimbledon, South West London on July 6, 2023.
The horror unfolded as a Land Rover Defender smashed through a fence while school children and staff were having a tea-party outside on the last day of term.
More than fifteen others were injured in the crash, including a seven-month-old baby girl.
Speaking at a remembrance event on Sunday, Nuria's mother Smera Chohan said: "We have had to fight very hard - harder than any victim should ever have had to - but we remain committed to uncovering the truth about what happened."
In January, the Metropolitan Police rearrested arrested driver Claire Freemantle 48, on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.
She remains in custody while investigations continue.
The 48-year-old was originally released after an initial investigation by the Roads and Transport Policing Command, and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), concluded she should face no further action.
Freemantle claimed she had an epileptic seizure behind the wheel and faced no charges.
They added that there was no evidence Ms Freemantle had ever suffered a similar seizure before and she had no previously diagnosed medical condition.
A review was carried out by the Specialist Crime Review Group (SCRG).
It highlighted issues with how officers carried out the initial investigation.
Family, friends & Liverpool teammates gather for Diogo Jota & brother Andre's funeral in Portugal after tragic car crash
It was revealed there was a key problem with establishing the evidence of an epileptic seizure, and diagnosis without brain scans.
"Our main priority is to ensure the lines of inquiry identified by the review are progressed. I would urge people to avoid speculation," Det Supt Lewis Basford said.
At the memorial on Sunday, hundreds of people from the local area joined Nuria's mother Smera Chohan, her father Sajjad Butt and Selena's parents Franky Lau and Jessie Deng.
Two benches dedicated to the victims' memories were decorated with flowers and messages and a two minutes' silence was observed.
Following a two minutes' silence - one minute for each girl - Ms Chohan delivered an emotional speech.
"We still await answers for what happened on that fateful day... and with all your support, we will continue our fight until we have the answers we deserve," Ms Chohan said.
"Nothing is going to make our lives the same again... we were parents.
"I sometimes don't know if I'm a mother, I need to know why I'm not a mother and Nuria deserved a thorough investigation."
Selena's father added: "We are still waiting, we want a version of events that adds up."
Helen Lowe, who was the school's headteacher at the time of the crash, said: "There are still no answers to what happened on that day, and in that two-year period, there have been a number of events which involved awful tragedy for children.
"But the people who perpetrated those events have had to be answerable, and we don't have that, which makes it - for the parents and for us - impossible to move on."
To provide information you can contact the major incident room on 0207 175 0793, call 101 quoting CAD 6528/27Jan, or message @MetCC on X providing the CAD reference. Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online.
4
4
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sky News
3 hours ago
- Sky News
Post Office scandal: Victims say government's control of redress schemes should be taken away
Post Office scandal victims are calling for redress schemes to be taken away from the government completely, ahead of the public inquiry publishing its first findings. Phase 1, which is due back on Tuesday, will report on the human impact of what happened as well as compensation schemes. "Take (them) off the government completely," says Jo Hamilton OBE, a high-profile campaigner and former sub-postmistress, who was convicted of stealing from her branch in 2008. "It's like the fox in charge of the hen house," she adds, "because they were the only shareholders of Post Office". "So they're in it up to their necks... So why should they be in charge of giving us financial redress?" Jo and others are hoping Sir Wyn Williams, chairman of the public statutory inquiry, will make recommendations for an independent body to take control of redress schemes. The inquiry has been examining the Post Office scandal which saw more than 700 people wrongfully convicted between 1999 and 2015. Sub-postmasters were forced to pay back false accounting shortfalls because of the faulty IT system, Horizon. At the moment, the Department for Business and Trade administers most of the redress schemes including the Horizon Conviction Redress Scheme and the Group Litigation Order (GLO) Scheme. The Post Office is still responsible for the Horizon Shortfall scheme. Lee Castleton OBE, another victim of the scandal, was bankrupted in 2007 when he lost his case in the civil courts representing himself against the Post Office. The civil judgment against him, however, still stands. "It's the oddest thing in the world to be an OBE, fighting for justice, while still having the original case standing against me," he tells Sky News. While he has received an interim payment he has not applied to a redress scheme. "The GLO scheme - that's there on the table for me to do," he says, "but I know that they would use my original case, still standing against me, in any form of redress. "So they would still tell me repeatedly that the court found me to be liable and therefore they only acted on the court's outcome." He agrees with other victims who want the inquiry this week to recommend "taking the bad piece out" of redress schemes. "The bad piece is the company - Post Office Limited," he continues, "and the government - they need to be outside. "When somebody goes to court, even if it's a case against the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), when they go to court DBT do not decide what the outcome is. "A judge decides, a third party decides, a right-minded individual a fair individual, that's what needs to happen." Mr Castleton is also taking legal action against the Post Office and Fujitsu - the first individual victim to sue the organisations for compensation and "vindication" in court. "I want to hear why it happened, to hear what I believe to be the truth, to hear what they believe to be the truth and let the judge decide." Neil Hudgell, a lawyer for victims, said he expects the first inquiry report this week may be "really rather damning" of the redress claim process describing "inconsistencies", "bureaucracy" and "delays". "The over-lawyeringness of it," he adds, "the minute analysis, micro-analysis of detail, the inability to give people fully the benefit of doubt. "All those things I think are going to be part and parcel of what Sir Wynn says about compensation. "And we would hope, not going to say expect because history's not great, we would hope it's a springboard to an acceleration, a meaningful acceleration of that process." 11:28 A Department for Business and Trade spokesperson said they were "grateful" for the inquiry's work describing "the immeasurable suffering" victims endured. Their statement continued: "This government has quadrupled the total amount paid to affected postmasters to provide them with full and fair redress, with more than £1bn having now been paid to thousands of claimants. "We will also continue to work with the Post Office, who have already written to over 24,000 postmasters, to ensure that everyone who may be eligible for redress is given the opportunity to apply for it."
Daily Mail
3 hours ago
- Daily Mail
April Jones's evil killer is attacked in jail AGAIN - as five-year-old's family declare 'he deserves it'
The evil killer of five-year-old April Jones has been attacked in prison for a second time - as her sister says 'he deserves it'. Mark Bridger was targeted by another inmate at HMP Wakefield last week which left him with grazes to his hand, according to The Sun. While on the first attack, which occurred shortly after he was jailed, he was slashed with a knife made out of a razor and needed stitches on his face. The Prison Service said his assailant was on report ahead of a hearing to decide his punishment. Last night, April's half-sister, Hazel, told The Sun: 'He deserves everything he's getting. He literally deserves it all. 'I've got kids myself now and it's scary to know there are people like that living on your doorstep. 'I am glad he's in prison for life. He's going to carry on getting hurt.' She added that her father died never knowing where April's body was. The young girl was killed by paedophile Bridger in October 2012 after he abducted her in his car in Machynlleth, Powys, Wales. Her disappearance led to the largest missing person search in UK police history. Bridger was interviewed by police following April's disappearance, and initially claimed he had run the child over while she was riding her bicycle with a friend, and that he did not remember disposing of her body because he was drunk. But police doubted Bridger's version, due to the fact his car showed no sign of having experienced a collision, and the absence of blood in the car. Crucially, Bridger's version differed from April's seven year old friend, who had been out playing with her, and saw the five-year-old girl willingly hop into a car. Search of Bridger's house also found April's blood in his bathroom and living room. They also found a cache of child porn on his computer, including Facebook pictures of April and other local girls. Bridger was charged with child abduction, murder, and attempting to pervert the course of justice on October 6 2012, five days after her disappearance. After a five-week trial it took the jury just four hours to decide he was a fantasist, obsessed with child murder and child pornography, who had lured disabled April into his car, before killing her. He has always refused to reveal what he did with her body, but it is believed he burned her in his fire and dumped some of her remains in a river close to his home. Bridger was sentenced on 30 May 2013 to life imprisonment with a recommendation that he should never be released.
Daily Mail
4 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Man, 32, knifed to death in London skyscraper - seeing tower put into lockdown: Two men arrested over 'murder'
Two men have been arrested after a man was stabbed to death in a luxury London skyscraper. A 32-year-old man was found by police offers with several knife injuries as officers rushed to the scene in the early hours of Saturday morning. He died shortly after despite the efforts of the medical staff from the London Ambulance Service. The Met Police have launched a murder investigation. Two men, 35 and 33, were arrested at the scene on suspicion of murder following reports of an altercation. The victim collapsed inside DAMAC Tower, in Vauxhall, according to The Standard. The 50-storey building is next to the US embassy, which is part of the Nine Elms development, and is in lockdown as police continue their investigation. Management informed residents that the lifts were unable for use, as reported by GB News, as one resident said deliveries had been blocked and people were told to use the emergency stairs. A spokesperson for the Met said the victim's next-of-kin have been informed and are being supported. Detective Inspector Aytac Necati who is leading the investigation said: 'Sadly, a man has lost his life in the most horrendous of circumstances. Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this difficult time. 'We understand the effect this will have on the local community, and will ensure that officers are deployed on reassurance patrols to respond to any questions or concerns. 'Two men have already been arrested. Detectives are working hard to establish the circumstances of what happened. 'At this time, we are not looking for anyone else in connection with this incident.' A note to residents sent by the managers of the skyscraper said: 'The police are presently on the premises, diligently managing the situation. 'We would like to assure you that the building is secure, and there is no cause for concern with your safety. 'As a precautionary measure, the police have requested that the elevators be temporarily unavailable while they conduct their investigation.'
