Eleven Metropolitan Police officers are under investigation over their handling of the 2023 Wimbledon school crash that killed eight-year-olds Nuria Sajjad and Selena Lau, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has confirmed.
The watchdog said its inquiry will examine whether officers provided “false and misleading information” to those affected and whether their treatment of victims’ families was influenced by race.
The investigation relates to the incident on 6 July 2023, when a Land Rover Defender driven by Claire Freemantle crashed through a fence into The Study Preparatory School in Wimbledon, where pupils had been attending an end-of-term event.
This follows long-standing concerns raised by the victims’ families about the original police investigation. Freemantle, 48, was initially arrested but not charged after telling officers she had suffered an undiagnosed epileptic seizure and had no memory of the incident.
The Metropolitan Police reopened the case in October 2024 after an internal review, and Freemantle was re-arrested in January 2025 on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has since confirmed it is reviewing a full file of evidence but has yet to make a charging decision.
The IOPC said four serving officers including a commander, detective chief inspector, detective sergeant and detective constable along with a former detective inspector are being investigated for possible gross misconduct. Two additional detective constables are being investigated for misconduct.
IOPC director Amanda Rowe said the inquiry would focus on the management and direction of the original investigation, the conduct of officers, and their engagement with victims.
The families of Nuria and Selena said their lives had been “irreparably shattered” and have consistently argued that the initial investigation was flawed. Nuria’s mother, Smera Chohan, told the BBC she had been treated “cruelly” and called for accountability from authorities.
The CPS said it is considering further factors before deciding whether charges will be brought and expects to reach a decision by the end of April. Families are due to receive an update in the coming days.
The Metropolitan Police said it supports the independent investigation and will cooperate fully with the IOPC as inquiries continue.