A bungled police investigation into the death of a 10-year-old girl who was molested and strangled in her bed means her killer may never be caught.
The schoolgirl, from London, was found dead in November 2016 and police arrested two people – but officers from the Met later dismissed the child’s death as an accident.
Court papers reveal that detectives investigating the case failed on 13 counts, including that officers failed to search for fingerprints, carry out tests on the probable murder weapon or seal the crime scene.
Lady Justice King (pictured) said the investigation was ‘replete with the sort of mistakes’ made in the case of 13-month-old Poppi Worthington – who a coroner found was sexually abused by her father before her sudden death in 2012
The Sun reports they also failed to check whether 15 samples of male DNA found on the girl’s underwear matched any on the national DNA database.
The young girl, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, was found dead at her home and her death was initially treated by officers as a ‘tragic accident’.
Detectives said at the time that the girl had hanged herself on lace netting decorating her bunk.
But, after a post-mortem concluded her death was probably the result of a ‘sexually-motivated’ killing, police treated it as a potential crime.
No criminal charges have yet been brought in relation to the girl’s death.
Lady Justice King said the investigation was ‘replete with the sort of mistakes’ made in the case of 13-month-old Poppi Worthington – who a coroner found was sexually abused by her father before her sudden death in 2012.
Poppi Worthington (pictured) was taken by ambulance from her family home in Barrow-in-Furness to hospital, where she was pronounced dead, in December 2012
The judge said: ‘The opportunity to gather critical evidence including DNA and fingerprint evidence was lost consequent upon the delay and the deficiency in the police investigation.’
She made her remarks in a Court of Appeal ruling on Wednesday concerning family proceedings.
The failings were highlighted in care proceedings last year. 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..
At an earlier High Court hearing, Mr Justice Francis said the police appeared to have ‘closed their minds’ to the possibility of the girl being killed during the ‘crucial period’ after her body was discovered in 2016.
He also criticised the police for ‘serious deficiencies’ in relation to disclosure of evidence, adding: ‘I regard the disclosure of relevant material by the police in this case to have been woefully inadequate.’
In the proceedings, Mr Justice Francis ruled five of the girl’s siblings should return to live with their parents, despite the couple not being 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: ‘Detectives from the Homicide and Major Crime Command continue to investigate the death of a 10-year-old girl in Southwark in 2016.
‘A 42-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder on 25 November 2016 and a 12-year-old boy was arrested on suspicion of murder on 12 December 2016.
‘They were both taken to a police station for questioning by detectives before being released on police bail pending further enquiries.
‘On 4 June 2017 they were both released from bail with no further action. Police were initially called at 10:17hrs on Sunday, 20 November 2016 to reports of a child not breathing at a residential property in Peckham.
‘The London Ambulance Service also attended. The girl was pronounced dead at the scene. Her next of kin were informed.
‘A special post-mortem that took place on Thursday, 24 November 2016 found the cause of death as compression of the neck.
‘The Homicide and Major Crime Command continue to lead the investigation. Detectives are working with a range of partner agencies in this case – including the local authority. Enquiries into the full circumstances continue. This remains a live investigation.’
Poppi Worthington was taken by ambulance from her family home in Barrow-in-Furness to hospital, where she was pronounced dead, in December 2012.
Medics noted the toddler was bleeding from her bottom and in January the senior coroner for Cumbria, David Roberts, concluded she was anally penetrated in her father Paul Worthington’s double bed.
The coroner ruled out those injuries as the cause of death and said she had suffocated as she slept next to her father.
His ruling, made on the balance of probabilities, effectively mirrored two judgments given at the High Court in 2014 and 2016 which found that Mr Worthington, 50, abused his daughter shortly before her death.
But ‘grotesque failures’ by Cumbria Police, who lost evidence during their investigation, means no-one has ever been prosecuted.
Mr Worthington, who denies any wrongdoing, is now living in hiding under police protection.
Following the coroner’s ruling, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said Mr Worthington would not face any legal action.