Police Launch New Investigation Into Tragic Incident at Wimbledon School That Claimed Lives of Two 8-Year-Old Girls
Scotland Yard announced that a review had been conducted, revealing “a number of lines of inquiry that require further examination, leading to the decision to reopen the investigation.”
The Metropolitan Police have decided to reopen the investigation into a tragic car crash that took place at a school in Wimbledon last year, resulting in the deaths of two eight-year-old girls, Selena Lau and Nuria Sajjad.
Following concerns raised by the families of the girls, the Met initiated an internal review after the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) chose not to prosecute Claire Freemantle, who had crashed her Land Rover into the Study Prep School on July 6, 2023, citing an epileptic seizure while driving as the reason.
Scotland Yard confirmed in a statement on Thursday that the review had revealed “a number of lines of inquiry that require further examination, leading to the decision to reopen the investigation.”
The statement continued, “The families have been informed of this development, and regular updates on the progress of the investigation will be provided. The investigative work aims to address all questions raised by the affected families.”
“An accredited senior investigating officer and a team with experience in homicide investigations will conduct this further investigation,” the statement added.
No Prosecution
The tragic crash at the southwest London school, catering to girls aged four to eleven, occurred during an end-of-year party for the children.
At the time of the incident, emergency services treated 16 individuals, including adults and a seven-month-old baby, at the scene, with 10 individuals later being taken to the hospital.
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Selena Lau tragically passed away at the scene, while Nuria Sajjad sustained life-threatening injuries and succumbed to them on July 9.
The driver, Freemantle, was arrested at the crash scene under suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.
Jaswant Narwal, the chief crown prosecutor overseeing the CPS’s London homicide unit, stated, “The driver had an epileptic seizure while driving, causing her to lose control of the vehicle, leading to the collision with the school. There is no evidence of any prior epileptic seizures or diagnosed medical conditions.”
Unanswered Questions
Despite this explanation, the parents of the girls expressed concerns about the thoroughness of the investigation, stating that there are still unanswered questions.
In a joint statement, Nuria Sajjad’s parents, Sajjad Butt and Smera Chohan, along with Selena Lau’s parents, Franky Lau and Jessie Deng, said, “We do not feel that justice has been served adequately. Nuria and Selena deserved better.”
Almost a year after the tragic incident, on July 4, the Met initiated an internal investigation.
Police officers set up a cordon line after a car crashed into a primary school building in Wimbledon, London, on July 6, 2023.Kin Cheung/AP Photo
In a previous statement from June, Freemantle expressed, “I can only express my deepest sorrow for the families who have suffered such dreadful loss and injury. As a mother, I understand there can be no words that adequately express the pain and loss resulting from what happened in those horrendous moments while I was unconscious.”
PA Media contributed to this report.
