Police errors mean killer of girl, 10, may never be captured after her murder was dismissed as an accident
Detectives failed to search for fingerprints, carry out basic forensic tests on the 'murder weapon' or seal the crime scene properly, devastating court papers reveal
A SERIES of police blunders means a ten-year-old girl’s killer may never be caught.
The Met dismissed the death of the child, who was molested and strangled in her bed, as an accident.
Detectives failed to search for fingerprints, carry out tests on the probable murder weapon or seal the crime scene. They also failed to check whether 15 samples of male DNA found on the girl’s underwear matched any on the national DNA database.
Instead, they believed the girl had hanged herself on lace netting decorating her bunk. It led a judge to say that the investigation was “replete with the sort of mistakes in the Poppi Worthington case”, a reference to the 13-month-old who died in Cumbria in 2012.
The girl, who cannot be named, was found dead in 2016. The first officer noticed a thin mark on her neck. High Court judge Mr Justice Francis identified 13 police failures in the investigation, which meant DNA was not collected and the crime scene might have been contaminated.
Detectives also failed to follow up the girl’s family’s claims a relative known as Mr B might have been the killer.
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The failings were highlighted in care proceedings last year when Mr Justice Francis ruled five of the girl’s siblings should return to live with their parents, even though they had not been ruled out as suspects.
The Court of Appeal overturned his decision last week, following an appeal by London’s Southwark council.
The Met, led by Cressida Dick, said: “This remains a live investigation. We are acting upon the comments by the judge.”
13 failings in hunt for strangler
POLICE made 13 blunders, according to a High Court judge. They were:
- Failed to check properly for fingerprints
- Failed to test hairs and fibres on netting on bed
- Delayed blood and other tests for five months
- Failed to test the strength of the netting
- Failed to seal the crime scene properly
- Failed to check locks on doors and windows
- Failed to check whether house was secure
- Failed to interview relatives who were with girl
- Failed to search the national DNA database
- Failed to look for sex offenders living locally
- Failed to interview the suspect Mr B
- Failed to order a full post-mortem examination
- Closed their minds to possibility of foul play