Parents of girls killed in school crash 'still waiting for answers'

The parents of two eight-year-old girls who were killed when a car crashed into a London school say they are still waiting for answers two years later.

Nuria Sajjad and Selena Lau died when a Land Rover ran into an end-of-term tea party at The Study Preparatory School in Wimbledon, on 6 July 2023.

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."

The event on Wimbledon Common, a short walk from the school, marked two years to the day since the girls died.

Last year the driver of the car, Claire Freemantle, 48, said she had "no recollection of what took place".

She also expressed her "deepest sorrow for the families who have suffered such dreadful loss and injury".

Ms Freemantle was arrested at the scene of the crash in 2023 but last June the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said it would not charge her.

They said she had suffered an epileptic seizure behind the wheel, which caused her to lose control of the vehicle that then crashed into the school.

They added that there was no evidence Ms Freemantle had ever suffered a similar seizure before and she had no previously diagnosed medical condition.

However, in January she was rearrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving. after the Metropolitan Police said it had reviewed its investigation.

Det Supt Lewis Basford said: "Our main priority is to ensure the lines of inquiry identified by the review are progressed. I would urge people to avoid speculation."

At the time, the girls' parents welcomed this and said the reopened investigation should be carried out "in the pursuit of truth and the full facts".

At Sunday's memorial event they expressed dismay at having to wait so long for answers. They said they wanted someone to be held accountable.

Hundreds of people from the local community joined Ms Chohan, Sajjad Butt (Nuria's father), as well as Selena's parents Franky Lau and Jessie Deng, for the memorial event.

Members of the emergency services also participated in the moment of reflection and remembrance.

Two benches created in the girls' memory were adorned with floral tributes and messages.

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."

She added: "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."

Mr Lau said: "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."

Sharon Maher, the school's current headteacher, described the quality of the new police investigation, which was launched in October, as having "a very different feel".

She added: "They've taken our questions seriously… it's more thorough, it's detailed, that's all we've ever asked for."

The Metropolitan Police said: "Our thoughts are with Nuria and Selena's loved ones at this particularly difficult time. Our investigation continues and we remain in regular contact with the families.

"Anyone with information is asked to call the major incident room on 0207 175 0793, call 101 quoting CAD 6528/27Jan, or message @MetCC on X providing the CAD reference."