19 year old Bangladeshi Shahena Uddain was body was found by paramedics in bathroom where she had collapsed after receiving 54 wounds on her person. She had chocked on her on vomit. Family members deny all responsibly of her death.
Shahena Uddain lived with her 4 brothers, sister and sister-in-law in a terraced home on Leavesden Road. Investigation made her sister-in-law primary suspect of Shahena’s death.
Shahena had been under the guardian ship of her brother Suhail Uddain and his wife-Salma Begum since she was 15 years old after the demise of her parents. She was subjected to brutal treatment at the hands of her family members. Salma Begum was the undisputed disciplinary of the house. She would encourage her husband to beat his young sisters when they misbehaved. But with Shahena she went a bit too far.
Doctors found 54 wounds on her body. In addition she had been badly beaten in the front and back of head. Her shoulder showed marks of rod like object that has been repeated used to strike upon her. We learn that plastic baseball bat, Wii bat, mop handle, spirit level and glow sticks had been used to inflict physical torture.
The torture doesn’t end there. 4’ feet 11 inches Shahana was punished due to “not eating fast enough” or “eating too little” by being denied the right to use washroom facilities, forced to eat her own vomit, lick toilet seat etc. Being denied washroom she’d sometime resort to using sink to relieve herself but that would only get her into more trouble. The combined physicl and mental torture drove Shahena to her death.
Upon her death on 11 October 2014 a formal investigation was launched. 32 year old Salma Begum was ruled to be guilty in Saint Albans Crown Court. She must serve 18 years in prison. She was convicted of murder after incriminating evidence in form of letters left by Shahana were found. “Every day I am scared and can’t live like this anymore.” In the same letter she also says “I will love you but I need to go on my own…..It doesn’t matter if you hate me now you will be free”. Justice Spencer described Salma Begum as, “cruel manipulative and deceitful” in his ruling in court.
Her husband although acquitted of charged of murder and 2nd degree murder manslaughter will serve 10 years in prison for trying to withhold evidence and not protecting vulnerable 19 year old. The three other brothers, Jhuhal uddain 33 was sentenced to 9 years in prison, Jewel Uddain 27 received 8 years in jail and Tohel Uddain was given 6 and a half years in jail. The sister Rahena Uddain too sentenced to 5 years in prison. All of them were ruled guilty on grounds of concealing evidence and not protecting a teenager.
It is impossible to imagine that in 21st century in such a quint respectable neighborhood among us, such evil was striving. We pray that Shahena finds peace and comfort. She finally managed to put her persecutors behind bars.