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The Canberra Times
The Canberra Times
National
Dan Jervis-Bardy

Toddler murder investigation remains open: ACT Policing

CCTV footage of Safa Annour

The suspected murder of two-year-old Safa Annour remains under police investigation almost five years after her "absolutely horrendous" death.

Police believe there are people in the community with information about Safa's death who are still yet to come forward and speak with investigators.

The Canberra Times can reveal ACT Policing is reviewing "a number of lines of inquiry" about the toddler's tragic death on the afternoon of April 30, 2018.

But police remain tight-lipped about the case, refusing to answer questions including how many suspects are being investigated and whether those suspects remain in the country.

Safa Annour before she was killed in April 2018. Picture ACT Policing

Police waited six months after Safa's death to reveal details about the case and make a public appeal for information.

Detective Superintendent Scott Moller at the time described the toddler's death as "absolutely horrendous".

"Any child in any circumstance that is murdered is absolutely tragic," he said.

A post-mortem found Safa died as a result of blunt force trauma and fatal internal bleeding, which police said were caused by another person.

She was taken to Canberra Hospital around 1.50pm on April 30, 2018, but could not be resuscitated and was pronounced dead shortly after.

Police released two clips of CCTV footage showing some of Safa's final moments.

The first, taken at 8.40am on the day of her death, showed a seemingly uninjured Safa happily waving to the driver as she stepped off a bus on Stuart Street, Griffith.

She was accompanied by a woman and a second child, which The Canberra Times has previously reported were believed to be her mother and brother.

Detective Superintendent Scott Moller described Safa Annour's death as "absolutely horrendous". Picture by Sitthixay Ditthavong

The second clip, which was taken about 9.40am on the day before she died, showed Safa, the child believed to be her brother and another woman walking along Sturt Avenue, Narrabundah.

The woman was not a suspect.

Police initially identified two people who were responsible for Safa's care at the time of her death, but never said who those people were nor if they were suspects in the investigation.

The Canberra Times has previously reported that Safa's family was living away from home and receiving crisis support at the time of her death.

  • Do you know more about this case? Contact dan.jervis-bardy@canberratimes.com.au or anonymously via DanJervisB@protonmail.com.

The ACT government was unable to confirm if Safa had been reported to the child protection system prior to her death. A spokeswoman said Child and Youth Protection Services was not lawfully able to share protected information with external parties.

In response to a fresh set questions from The Canberra Times, police said investigators were focusing on what happened to Safa - including who she interacted with - prior to her being taken to hospital on the afternoon of April 30, 2018.

Police again refused to disclose other details, including who took Safa to hospital on April 30, 2018.

The ACT Coroners Court has previously said a coronial investigation into the case would recommence once the criminal investigation had concluded.

The toddler, whose full name was Safa Abubakr Annour, was buried in a children's plot in the Islamic section of Gungahlin Cemetery on May 10, 2018.

She was due to celebrate her third birthday just nine days later.

Anyone with information about this tragic incident is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or via www.crimestoppers.com.au

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