"I've punched her in the head."
An inquest heard that an 11-year-old girl who died in hospital after collapsing in the bathroom at her family home was “punched in the heat of the moment” by her grown-up half-brother.
Falaq Babar died in hospital more than three weeks after being found on the bathroom floor at her family home in Rochdale on February 20, 2022.
Half-brother Suhail Mohammed admitted throwing the punch in a text message to his girlfriend.
Police felt there was sufficient evidence to charge him with manslaughter.
However, he will not face prosecution, partly due to “complex medical evidence” yet to be heard by the inquest about whether Falaq may have had an “underlying” medical condition.
Mr Mohammed said he heard a commotion from inside the bathroom, with Falaq “screaming her head off”, and shoulder-charged the door because it was stuck.
He claimed it flew open with such force he left a hole in one panel and cracks on the inside. The door hit Falaq and she fell back.
In a 999 call, Mr Mohammed said his half-sister had “slipped”.
However, text messages to his girlfriend Sahar Fiaz told a different story.
At a previous inquest in November 2023, a message from Mr Mohammed read:
“I’ve killed Falaq.”
Ms Fiaz replied: “WDYM” (What do you mean).
He responded: “I’ve punched her in the head.”
Ms Fiaz then asked: “Why are you hitting her for?”
Mr Mohammed replied: “IDEK” (I don’t even know).
He went on to say his half-sister was being taken to hospital because she was “sick” and “unconscious” before Ms Fiaz asked:
“What she did that you hit her (sic)?”
Mr Mohammed said: “0 (zero). Screaming her head off.”
Ms Fiaz told her boyfriend that he “shouldn’t have done that.”
The half-brother said he “didn’t know” he was going to “knock her out” and Ms Fiaz then accused him of being “heavy-handed”.
He then said “it was in the heat of the moment.”
The exchange ended with Ms Fiaz saying:
“In sh’Allah (God willing) she’s OK.”
At the first inquest, Mr Mohammed said he found Falaq on the floor on the “other side of the door” before helping her up.
The second inquest heard how Falaq’s family had been preparing to travel to Bradford from their home that morning to get clothes for a wedding.
Analysis of the 999 call showed Mr Mohammed speaking to family members in the background and urging them to “pray to God” and not “make a big deal” out of the incident, and:
“Don’t tell, don’t disclose.”
A police investigation was launched after Falaq was taken to hospital, where she died on March 18, 2022, after suffering a bleed to the brain.
Mr Mohammed was arrested on suspicion of assault but had answered no comment during police interviews.
At the inquest, he declined to answer any questions from coroner Joanne Kearsley about the text messages.
Detective Chief Inspector Stuart Round, who led the investigation, said he had “formed a suspicion” Falaq may have been assaulted.
Crime scene investigator Elizabeth Moss said she could easily open the door without it sticking and there was no evidence it had been bolted shut.
DCI Round had been concerned because there had been a “strike” to the door and he requested permission from the family to allow police to speak to Falaq’s younger siblings, then aged 5 and 7.
However, his requests had been refused.
DCI Round said he felt there was sufficient evidence to charge Mr Mohammed with manslaughter but no further action was taken due to medical evidence.
According to Ms Kearsley, there were three possible theories:
- Falaq was punched.
- She had suffered a coincidental medical episode.
- The bathroom door had struck her and she’d fell back and hit her head.
Falaq’s grandmother Zabida Bebi was previously asked by Ms Kearsley about a witness statement she gave to police as well as comments she made in Punjabi that could be heard on the 999 call.
Ms Bebi told police she heard Falaq had been “punched” or a door had been punched and is said to have asked: “Who has hit her?”
But she repeatedly told Ms Kearsley that she “couldn’t remember” how she had got the information and was “upset”, before saying she’d heard Falaq’s younger siblings talking about a punch.
Falaq’s mother Shazia Bi said she couldn’t recall any conversation about a punch because she was tending to Falaq.
The inquest continues.
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