A woman has been charged with two counts of causing death by dangerous driving after her car crashed into The Study Preparatory School in Wimbledon, killing two eight-year-old girls. Claire Freemantle, 49, was initially not charged due to an epileptic seizure diagnosis but faced charges again following a review and new evidence.
Key Takeaways
Claire Freemantle has been charged with two counts of causing death by dangerous driving after her car crashed into The Study Preparatory School in Wimbledon, killing two eight-year-old girls. The 49-year-old driver's initial charges were dropped due to an epileptic seizure diagnosis but reinstated following a review and new evidence.
- Claire Freemantle charged with two counts of causing death by dangerous driving
- Crash occurred at The Study Preparatory School in Wimbledon, killing Nuria Sajjad and Selena Lau
- Initial charges dropped due to epileptic seizure diagnosis, later reinstated after review
- Metropolitan Police apologized for initial handling of the incident and announced a reset in investigating fatal collisions
The crash occurred on July 6, 2023, when Freemantle's Land Rover veered off the road and smashed through a fence into the school during an end-of-term tea party. Nuria Sajjad and Selena Lau were killed, and nine children and three adults were seriously injured.
The Metropolitan Police initially decided not to bring any criminal charges in June 2024 after Freemantle claimed she had suffered an epileptic seizure at the wheel for the first time. However, concerns raised by the families of the girls led to a serious case review that uncovered significant flaws in the initial investigation.
The Met announced in October 2024 that it was reopening its investigation into the crash following an internal review that identified missed lines of inquiry. Freemantle was re-arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and will appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on June 16.
Freemantle's lawyers stated she would deny all charges, expressing her deepest sorrow but noting she had no recollection of the incident due to the seizure. The Independent Office for Police Conduct is investigating 11 Met Police officers for their handling of the initial inquiry, including allegations of providing false and misleading information.
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