The Greater Manchester Mayor, Andy Burnham has called for answers over the drowning of 12-year-old Shukri Yahya Abdi which occurred in June 2019.
Shukri was a refugee who came to the UK in January 2017 with her mother and four siblings after they fled conflict in Somalia. She was born and brought up in a refugee camp in Kenya and her family were brought to the UK as part of the Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme, under which only the most vulnerable are accepted.
Shukri was found in the River Irwell in Bury, Greater Manchester, in June 2019. A group of children were with her at the river in the period before she died.
Last year, Farleys wrote about how Shukri’s family were seeking support to investigate her death. A year later, the family are still seeking answers as to what happened.
The family’s concerns not only relate to the events on the tragic day, but also the months leading up to her death and the actions of all public bodies involved, which Andy Burnham has called for an investigation into. Shukri’s mother claimed that her daughter was subjected to extensive bullying at school and has raised concerns that more help should have been offered by local services to support her daughter.
An inquest was opened in February, but was adjourned with no confirmed resumption date. The inquest will focus largely on the events on the day of her death. An inquest is often limited in scope and is an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding a death. The purpose of the inquest is to find out who the deceased person was and how, when and where they died and to provide the details needed for their death to be registered. It is not a trial.
Following Shukri’s death, Greater Manchester Police initially said that they were treating what happened as a ‘tragic incident’ and did not believe there were any suspicious circumstances. The Independent Office for Police Conduct has investigated the actions and decision making of the police in this case and will publish the report at the conclusion of the inquest.
Andy Burnham has written to the Coroner pledging his support for the process that is underway and calling for “the widest possible investigation into what happened both on the day and in the months leading up to it, looking at the actions of all public bodies involved.”
This case has received recent media attention following the Black Lives Matter movement and protests which have taken place across the country. Actor John Boyega, Malcolm X’s daughter Ilyasah Shabazz and US rapper and actor Ice Cube are among the prominent supporters who are calling for “Justice for Shukri”.
Shukri’s mother has said: “I am very grateful to the whole world for all the support for my beautiful daughter Shukri. Please keep my family in your prayers and please continue to fight for justice for my daughter.”
If you have recently lost a loved one and have been informed that an Inquest will be called, our Inquests department are available to offer you the advice and support you need.
Our Solicitors will do everything within our power to assist you at this extremely difficult time and to ensure the inquest delivers the answers you require, which may go some way to assisting you in dealing with your grief. Call the team today on 0845 287 0939 or submit your enquiry online.
