Investigation to be launched into death of Sanaya Sahib as footage reveals smiling, happy baby girl
The Victorian Government will launch an investigation into the death of Sanaya Sahib, the Melbourne toddler whose body was found floating in a Melbourne creek on Sunday morning.
The probe was ordered by the minister for families and children, Jenny Mikakos, and will explore exactly what happened to the 14-month-old girl and what agencies were dealing with her and her family.
These are the final pictures of Sanaya Sahib and her murder-accused mum Sofina Nikat. Photo: 7 News
They will question whether or not social services looked into the environment Sanaya was living in and if they reported on any concerns about her lifestyle.
The investigation comes as heartbreaking footage of the little girl and her murder-accused mother Sofina Nikat emerged, just days after the toddler's body was found.
Sayana’s father Sameer Sahib shared the clip of his 14-month-old daughter with 7 News.
It was sent to him just two days before she was allegedly murdered by her mother.
On Tuesday afternoon Ms Nikat confessed to the murder in an out of sessions court hearing.
The pictures were taken just two days before Ms Nikat allegedly murdered her 14-month-old daughter. Photo: 7 News
Sameer Sahib. Photo: 7 News
On Wednesday, Ms Nikat was excused from facing court because she was deemed 'too unwell', amid fears for her mental health and risk of self-harm.
Mr Sahib said he was in shock when he heard that his former partner had been charged.
“I couldn’t believe it. I just froze,” Mr Sahib said.
“We both brought her into the world. How can she do that?”
He could never have imagined the video would be the last time he would hear the sound of his daughter's voice.
"She was such a bubbly girl. I didn't have much time to play with her, it was a life cut so short."
7 News exclusively obtained CCTV footage of a woman arriving and leaving Olympic Park walking calmly with a stroller. Photo: 7 News
Sanaya Shaib.
"Miss out on all the fun things in life, taking her down to the park, playing with her, buying her a car.
"I saw her last Thursday, she wanted to come in my lap, I just wish I had brought her home with me."
Mr Sahib's estranged partner covered her face with the Koran as she was driven from police headquarters overnight, charged with Sanaya's murder.
For four days the 22-year-old painted herself as a victim of the toddler's disappearance.
Ms Nikat's lies were exposed by a key piece of evidence, CCTV footage that captured the young mother walking with the toddler in her pram as they entered Olympic park on Saturday morning.
She had told detectives that an African man had stolen Sanaya from her pram, and she had rushed back to her uncle's home three hundred and fifty metres away to raise the alarm.
But these images of Ms Nikat strolling from the park with an empty pram, contradicted that story.
Ms Nikat arrived at the police station covering her face with a copy of the Koran, the central religious text of Islam. Photo: 7 News
The house where Sanaya and her mother lived. Photo: 7 News
Sanaya Sahib's stroller being seized by police officers. Photo: 7 News
Sanaya's body was found in Darebin Creek about 17 hours after the footage was taken.
7 News understands the little girl had signs of abuse on her body, before she was allegedly smothered.
It appeared that she had been struck in the mouth prior to her death.
An out-of-hours court session heard that Sofina Nikat has confessed to killing her daughter. Photo: 7 News
7 News exclusively obtained CCTV footage of a woman arriving and leaving Olympic Park walking calmly with a stroller. Photo: 7 News
Mr Sahib told 7 News: "I’ve had to go and identify the body, I never through I'd do that my whole life, my own daughter."
As holes began to appear in Ms Nikat's story, she was taken away from her uncle's Heidelberg West home under the guise of welfare concerns on Monday.
It now appears the move was a tactic by investigators to isolate the person they suspected of being the killer.
Sofina Nikat was taken away by police welfare officers on Monday. Photo: 7 News
Ms Nikat's lawyer told court on Wednesday that doctors who examined her advised that she was suffering from mental health issues and it was their advice, and Ms Nikat's preference, for her not to appear in person.
The risk of her self-harming was a "live issue" and it was believed she was already in protected custody.
She has been remanded in custody and will next appear in court in August.
Mr Sahib has spent the past few days organising his daughter's funeral.
“When I heard the news it was the worst day of my life. When she was born it was the best day of my life.”
“It’s just come to a really sad end,” he said.
The funeral will be held on Saturday and will be open to the public.
