"I promised to myself to protect her fiercely."
The parents of Nuria Sajjad, who was killed in 2023 following a tragic incident, appeared on This Morning in an emotional interview.
Nuria was only eight years old when she died after a Land Rover crashed into an end-of-term tea party at a Wimbledon prep school.
Selena Lau – also aged eight – died after the vehicle crashed through a fence and collided with a building at The Study Prep school on Camp Road on July 6, 2023.
Nuria had been taking a photograph with her mother Smera Chohan at the school. The eight-year-old girl died three days later in hospital.
Nuria’s parents held back tears as they spoke about their daughter.
At the time of the fatal accident, Nuria Sajjad and her mother had moved from a grassy area to near the building when the vehicle crashed.
Smera Chohan said: “I question myself every day. Had I stayed on the grassy spot for ten more seconds we would have not been hit.
“I hugged her and we shimmied along to get a photo and she is holding that half-eaten pastry in her hands – which she never got to finish.
“I don’t know where she was. I don’t know if she ran back to me thinking her mummy was going to save her.
“I don’t know if she saw the car. I will never know. She was my whole heart and my whole world.
“Yesterday was her ninth birthday. I did not know I could love so much, unconditionally. I promised to myself to protect her fiercely.”
Smera – who was also injured in the crash – underwent surgery and still has limited mobility as a result.
Sajjad Butt added that his daughter was joyful and had a shining personality.
He explained: “Her personality shone through in the first few months of her being. She enjoyed a good laugh. She was full of joy.
“She was so generous to the point at which we had to hold her back.
“This was not a typical road traffic collision. Our girls were where they belonged.
“They were in the safest place they could be outside of their homes. We find that a little difficult to swallow.”
A woman was arrested after the incident but was released under investigation in February 2024.
Soon after the crash, over 30 police vehicles and 15 ambulances arrived at the scene.
Detective Chief Superintendent Clair Kelland said:
“Our thoughts remain with the families of Nuria and Selena who we know are greatly loved and missed.”
Specifically mentioning the family of Nuria Sajjad, Clair Kelland continued:
“This was a tragic incident and we understand that the families want and need answers as to what happened.”
Watch the interview of Nuria Sajjad’s Parents:
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