A CORONER has ruled the death of Shukri Abdi an accident.

It has been over a year since the 12-year-old drowned in the River Irwell, Bury. Her body was recovered by search teams on June 27th.

In response, The Justice for Shukri Abdi campaign have asked for continued support.

Claims of bullying

In the inquest, Abdi’s family claimed the child was pushed into the water by girls who bullied her.

However, senior coroner Joanne Kearsley said there was no evidence Abdi was pushed.

The coroner also said claims Abdi had been bullied were “simply rumours and unhelpful speculation.”

In 2019, Broad Oak College Sports, where Abdi attended said they would review their school’s anti-bullying policy following her death.

Duty of care

In the inquest, Kearsley said Abdi entered the water, following encouragement.

The senior coroner went on to say that Child 1 (who cannot be named for legal reasons) was aware that Abdi could not swim.

They both ended up in an area of deep water, and at a point the other girl tried to swim underwater.

The senior coroner added: “At this point, on the balance of probabilities, a combination of deep water, together with Shukri panicking and the other child struggling to swim, meant that she probably pushed Shukri off. Shukri went under the water and drowned.”

Lawyers representing Shukri Abdi’s family said the coroner should consider an unlawful killing verdict, either from murder or gross negligence manslaughter.

As they walked to the river, Child 1 said to Shukri: “You’d better get in the water or I am going to kill you,” the inquest heard.

However, the senior coroner said the comment was not malicious. It was made “in the context” of a child who was keen to go swimming, and did not want to go alone.

Senior coroner Kearsley added: “The fact is, there is absolutely no evidence before the court that Child 1 had any intention to kill Shukri.”

Later, she added: “To even suggest this case reaches anywhere near the standard required for a court to consider the most serious of offences was misplaced and most unhelpful.”

Still, the inquest found that Child 1 had not met her duty of care to Abdi.

Family accused the police of racism

On the BBC’s Victoria Derbyshire programme last year, Abdi’s mother said she believed the family had been treated differently due to their race.

Following the inquest, the Justice for Shukri Abdi campaign is considering taking legal action against the police for their handling of Abdi’s death.

In August 2019, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) investigated the handing of Abdi’s death following complaints.

Following the inquest, they have released their report. It concludes that the family were not treated less favourably due to their background.

Family statement

In response to today’s verdict, the family of Shukri Abdi have released a statement.

They said: “The coroner released her verdict of accidental death. [It] brings to a close a painful chapter for the family, one which has been made even more painful due to the failure of all the institutions that were meant to protect Shukri.

“Seventeen months ago, this campaign was created in the wake of the tragic death of Shukri. Since then her mother Zamzam and her family have faced what can only be described as a never-ending nightmare as she demanded answers and the truth of her beloved daughter’s last moments on this earth.

“Institutional racism, Islamophobia, the demonisation of refugees and migrants continues to this day.

“We ask everyone to carry forward the determination and strength Zamzam and her family have shown in the struggle against these injustices, and this time, when we demand action, we must persist because no family should ever have to go through this ever again.”

Abdi’s family arrived in the UK in 2017 as part of a UN scheme to protect the most vulnerable immigrants.