Watch: Notts Police posted a video of Chief Superintendent Rob Griffin’s press conference
Police investigating the death of 18-year-old Mariam Moustafa have said further post mortem tests are required which ‘may take some weeks’ – but say the assault on her was not related to race hate.
Mariam, who lived in St Ann’s, died at Nottingham City Hospital on Wednesday, March 14.
The Nottingham College student had reportedly been assaulted by a group of women on Parliament Street, close to the Victoria Centre almost a month earlier, at around 8pm on Tuesday February 20.
She got on to a bus, where the attack continued, and later had to be taken to hospital. But police say they are still trying to determine if the attack and her death were linked.
Police arrested a 17-year-old girl on suspicion of assault occasioning grievous bodily harm before Mariam’s death.
She was later released on conditional bail.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday (March 19), Chief Superintendent Rob Griffin said: “A post-mortem has now been conducted following Mariam’s death and the outcome of that post-mortem so far is inconclusive.
“What that means is it will necessitate now further tests in order that a conclusion can be reached.
“Unfortunately, that may take some weeks.”
Chief Supt Griffin said the “investigation, however is making really good progress”.
He said: “We are becoming ever clearer about what happened on that Tuesday evening in February and we now know a group of six girls were involved in the incident.
“We believe that we have identified all six of those and you’ll be aware one arrest has been made.”
Hundreds of people are at a public vigil this evening at the Brian Clough statue in #Nottingham in memory of Mariam Moustafa, 18, who died in hospital last week. Police are investigating whether the death was linked to an alleged assault on her on Lower Parliament St. pic.twitter.com/1fiuppEu0i
— Notts TV (@Notts_TV) March 19, 2018
A public vigil was held at the Brian Clough statue in Old Market Square on Monday (March 19) night to remember Mariam.
Chief Superintendent Rob Griffin’s press conference in full
“You will all be aware of the truly tragic death of Mariam Moustafa who passed away on March 14.
“You will all, I’m sure, also be aware of an incident reported to the police which happened on February 20 on Parliament Street in Nottingham where we know Mariam was assaulted.
“I want to start by saying our deepest sympathies are with Mariam’s family at this time.
“We are working very closely with them and our absolute focus is they get the proper support they need at this very difficult time and that we work hard, for and with them, to ensure we get justice for Mariam and for the family.
“You will also be aware the police in Nottingham launched an investigation in the days that followed the incident on February 20 2018.
“A post-mortem has now been conducted following Mariam’s death and the outcome of that post-mortem so far is inconclusive.
“What that means is it will necessitate now further tests in order that a conclusion can be reached.
“Unfortunately, that may take some weeks.
“The investigation however is making really good progress – we are becoming ever clearer about what happened on that Tuesday evening in February and we now know a group of six girls were involved in the incident.
“We believe that we have identified all six of those and you’ll be aware one arrest has been made.
“There’s been many reports about an incident in August last year where Mariam and her sister were assaulted and it had been reported in the media recently Mariam had broken her leg.
“We now know that is not the case and the level of investigation at that time was appropriate – unfortunately no suspects were identified at the time.
“In terms of whether or not the incident in August is connected to what happened in February, we are open minded and as investigations continue, hopefully that picture will become more and more clear.
“As I said right at the start, we are working really closely with Mariam’s family, providing support from specialist officers.
“I think it’s really important and stress at this point that this investigation is very much live and proceedings are active – an arrest has been made.
“What I’d like to avoid wherever we can please is any inaccurate comments being reported because all that will serve to do is risk prejudice in this case.
“Back to where I started, that will not help with the objectives we are trying to achieve here, which are not only to try and provide support to the family but to ensure we get justice for Mariam and here family.
“Thank you.”
