Sara Sharif’s father, stepmother sentenced to life in prison for “campaign of abuse” that killed 10-year-old

London — The father and stepmother of a severely abused 10-year-old girl found dead in her home in England were sentenced Tuesday to life in prison for murder. Urfan Sharif, 42, and Beinash Batool, 30, were convicted of murder last week in Sara Sharif’s death in what prosecutors called a “campaign of abuse.”

Sara’s uncle, Faisal Malik, 29, was found guilty of causing or allowing the girl’s death. He was sentenced to 16 years in prison.

After Sara died, the three fled to Pakistan, where Urfan Sharif phoned U.K. police to say he had “legally punished her, and she died,” prosecutors said. He said he “beat her up too much” but didn’t intend to kill her.

Police in London then went to the family’s home and discovered Sara’s body under a blanket in a bunk bed on Aug. 10, 2023.

The three later returned to Britain more than a month after they fled and were arrested on suspicion of murder.

The trial in the Central Criminal Court exposed horrific details of abuse that included more than 70 fresh injuries and many older ones, including bruising, burns, fractures and bite marks and has raised questions about failures by social services and authorities to intervene and protect her.

“Sara’s death was the culmination of years of neglect, frequent assaults and what can only be described as torture,” Justice John Cavanagh said. “The degree of cruelty is almost inconceivable… None of you have shown a shred of true remorse.”

U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer called last week for stronger safeguards for home-schooled children like Sara, and said there were “questions that need to be answered” after her murder. Sara died months after her father pulled her out of state school to be taught at home, following a teacher reporting bruising on the little girl to social services.

British child protective services did look into the report, but took no action.

Starmer said the case was “about making sure that (there are) protecting safeguards for children, particularly those being home-schooled.”