Review launched into Tia Sharp death

The procedure is standard after the death of a child and will be carried out by a multi-agency safeguarding children board in Tia’s home borough of Merton.

The schoolgirl’s remains were discovered hidden at her grandmother Christine Sharp’s home in New Addington, south London last Friday, more than a week after she was reported missing.

Stuart Hazell, 37, her grandmother’s partner, appeared in court yesterday charged with her murder.

Merton council, which has responsibility for Mitcham, where Tia lived with her mother Natalie, said it was “standard procedure” to carry out a review.

Chief executive Ged Curran said: “Our thoughts and condolences go out to all those who knew Tia.

“The local safeguarding children board will now commission a serious case review, the standard procedure in a tragic case such as this. The review will be assisted by the police, health services and local authorities.”

Safety

Serious case reviews are carried out when a child has died, to look at the role played by local agencies in the life of that child and their family. The review aims to find out if any lessons can be learned about ensuring children’s safety.

Hazell’s arrest followed a massive search for Tia which involved around 100 police officers and countless members of the local community after she was reported missing from her grandmother’s home.

Despite visiting the terraced house in The Lindens several times during the week, investigators only found Tia’s body on Friday evening and have since apologised to her mother for the delay.

The body is yet to be formally identified but Tia is named as the victim in the murder charge. A post-mortem examination was paused on Saturday night and is expected to take place later this week. No cause of death has yet been identified.