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Mum's grief over police officers 'taking selfies next to bodies of murdered sisters'

A heartbroken mother has spoken out after allegations that two police officers took selfies next to the bodies of her murdered daughters.

Sisters Nicole Smallman, 27, and 46-year-old Bibaa Henry were stabbed to death at a park in Wembley, London earlier this month. They had been celebrating Ms Henry’s birthday.

Images found on their phones showed them dancing with fairy lights and glow sticks before they were reported missing.

Their mother, Mina Smallman, told the BBC she had complained about the initial investigation into her daughters’ disappearance and said she had to organise a search party herself.

"I knew instantly why they didn't care,” she said

“They didn't care because they looked at my daughter's address and thought they knew who she was.

"A black woman who lives on a council estate."

Bibaa Henry (left) and Nicole Smallman (right) were found dead in a Wembley park in London.
Sisters Bibaa Henry (left) and Nicole Smallman (right) were stabbed to death at a park in Wembley. Source: Metropolitan Police

It was Nicole’s boyfriend, Adam, who discovered the two women’s bodies and the weapon used to kill them.

Senior officers from the Metropolitan Police and Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) visited the distraught family to make them aware of the alleged photographs.

Ms Smallman told the BBC she was told the photos showed the girls’ faces and she was concerned they would appear online.

"This has taken our grief to another place," she said.

The furious mother condemned the police, telling the BBC it was an example of how toxic law enforcement had become.

"If ever we needed an example of how toxic it has become, those police officers felt so safe, so untouchable, that they felt they could take photographs of dead black girls and send them on,” Ms Smallman said.

Mina Smallman said the allegations against the two police officers took her grief to another level. Source: BBC
Mina Smallman said the allegations against the two police officers took her grief to another level. Source: BBC

According to the BBC, the IOPC said the images were allegedly “shared with a small number of others”, including members of the public.

The Met said two officers had been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office and suspended from duty on June 25.

Met Commissioner Cressida Dick said she was "disgusted" with the allegations against the officers.

The Met’s commander Paul Brogden told The Independent: “I am horrified and disgusted by the nature of these allegations; a sentiment which will be shared by colleagues throughout the organisation.

“If true, these actions are morally reprehensible, and anyone involved will be robustly dealt with.”

Detectives believe the sisters were killed by a stranger who repeatedly stabbed them in the early hours of June 6. Nobody has been charged with the murder.

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