Misconduct inquiry over fatal schoolgirl crash
Misconduct inquiry over fatal schoolgirl crash
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is now examining 11 Metropolitan Police officers for their role in the early stages of an accident in Wimbledon that claimed the lives of two young girls three years ago. Among those under review are four current officers and one former detective constable, according to sources shared with the BBC. The incident occurred in July 2023, when a Land Rover driven by Claire Freemantle collided with a gathering of schoolchildren on the school lawn, resulting in the deaths of eight-year-olds Nuria Sajjad and Selena Lau.
Freemantle was not formally charged due to the Crown Prosecution Service’s determination that she had experienced an undiagnosed epileptic seizure at the time. However, the families of the girls have consistently argued that the initial investigation was insufficient. They expressed optimism to the BBC that the IOPC’s review would bring clarity to the events of that day and the police’s subsequent response.
“We have always sought the truth, and will continue to champion the pursuit of complete clarity on the events of that devastating day and subsequent actions taken by the Metropolitan Police,” the families stated.
The IOPC’s inquiry, initiated in August 2025, will scrutinize claims that officers gave inaccurate or misleading details to those affected, as well as whether their treatment of victims was influenced by racial factors. The investigation will also assess the overall conduct of the team, including their management, communication, and engagement with the families of the deceased.
Among the officers under examination are a commander, detective chief inspector, detective sergeant, and detective constable. Two additional detective constables are also being looked into for possible misconduct. Cdr Charmain Brenyah, head of the Met’s Roads and Transport Policing Command, acknowledged the prolonged process had deepened the families’ grief. “It is right that our initial handling of this incident be independently scrutinised,” she said. “We will provide every assistance to the IOPC as their investigation continues.”
The Met announced in October 2024 that it had decided to restart the investigation following an internal review. This decision came after identifying new lines of inquiry. Freemantle was re-arrested in January 2025 on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and was questioned again in July 2025. In a prior statement, she had expressed “deepest sorrow” but claimed to have “no recollection of what took place.”
The Crown Prosecution Service confirmed it received a complete set of evidence from the Met Police in March and was given further legal advice recently. Nonetheless, additional factors remain to be considered before a charging decision can be finalized. Nuria’s parents, speaking from their Wimbledon home surrounded by photographs of their daughter, hoped the IOPC would reveal how the police had “failed” them. They emphasized the need for a thorough examination of the situation.
“I hope the IOPC will cover that,” said Nuria’s mother, Smera Chohan. “I really want to understand why I have been treated so cruelly, unfairly and in an inhumane way. I would like the keepers of law, of the system, to come and tell me.”
Chohan, who has undergone her fifth surgery for leg injuries sustained in the same incident, stressed that she is not seeking special treatment. “I’m just saying ‘do it right,’” she added. “It’s been left hanging for three years and that isn’t right.” The families continue to feel the prosecution has not provided satisfactory answers. Nuria’s father, Sajjad Butt, noted: “We are deeply concerned – the CPS has left us in the dark. As the organisation that is supposed to move towards justice for victims, it seems rather unwilling to engage with them.”
Prosecutors reached out to the family a few hours after the BBC sought their response. The families had, at the weekend, requested further clarification on the matter.
