The thought of losing a child is any parent’s worst nightmare. We’ve all seen horrors on the news over the years of malnourished and starving children in the likes of Yemen, or babies being torn apart by bombs in Gaza.
However, what about when our ‘children’ make it to adulthood, and have the ‘world at their feet’, but an act of evil takes life from them in a moment, what then? Does it make our grief any less painful?
No, ofcourse not.
For a loving parent, no matter how old their ‘child’ may be, they’ll always, at least in part, remain their little girl or boy. That instinctive nature is often an unbreakable bond, which a parent will carry to the grave and beyond.
When a child is taken by homicide (murder), finding a way forward through the grief is tough beyond measure.
After all, how can you find closure on something so horrific, especially in circumstances where the murderer in question still denies their guilt?
This, unfortunately, is the nightmare which one mother I spoke with is having to endure every day.
Meet Yasmin, the mother of Fawziyah Javed.
She was far too good for this world
Before we get into the darker side of Fawziyah and Yasmin’s story, it’s important to understand who Fawziyah was, and how she impacted those around her.
Fawziyah had such a beautiful and vibrant character, she could fill a room with joy, just by her presence. She was full of life and soul, the kind of person who is so rare in this world.
“Since she was taken away from us, family gatherings are no longer the same. The whole family have been left devastated. Losing her has left a huge void in the family, that can’t be filled. Our family has been broken to the core, because of what he did.”
“She was too pure and beautiful for this cruel world”, Yasmin says, as she’s trying to hold back the tears.
“Fawziyah really was an angel on this earth.”
Fawziyah was intrinsically a very giving and generous soul. She’d always been that way, ever since she was a little girl. Helping others was so central to her being that she was well-known in the charity sector within Yorkshire. Over the years she was actively involved with so many charities. She loved volunteering and raising much-needed funds for those less fortunate than her.
Speaking with some of my charity worker friends in Yorkshire, it was clear that she’s still remembered with great affection. Her death had a devastating effect on so many people. Like a shockwave, grief can often be felt far and wide when a person of such significance and beauty dies.
“Every good deed is charity, even your smile for others is charity!” Fawziyah always used to say (in the cheery tone that was so natural for her). Her family will always remember that. It’s the one saying that’s stuck with her mum Yasmin every day for the past 3 years.
Fawziyah’s death was truly a great loss for the entire community. Such a beautiful girl, gone too soon.
It was meant to be ‘happily ever after’
The story of what happened to Yasmin’s daughter has been well-reported in the national media. It all goes back to December 2020, when the young and budding solicitor, Fawziyah Javed married Kashif Anwar.
When a parent gives their daughter in marriage, they do so with the trust that they’d be treated with the love, care, and respect that they deserve. Fawziyah’s parents were no different. They entrusted their only child to her new husband and his family, with the belief that she’d be given a good and happy life.
On the outside, the Anwars came across as a decent and respectable family, like many other Muslim families in the area. Well-known in the local community, they seemed like a normal practising family, who went to mosque, and gave in charity etc. Unfortunately, truth reveals to us a very different story. Instead, behind closed doors, something quite unexpected and sinister was taking place.
Some details to harrowing and personal to share, Fawziyah’s marriage quickly became a prison of abuse. Having reported her husband to the West Yorkshire Police various times until her murder in September 2021, Fawziyah knew the only way she could carry on was to leave him.
Unfortunately, her husband had other ideas, and planned a trip to Edinburgh, to seal the dreadful fate of his beautiful new wife.
Only in the aftermath of her death, it’s suspected he discovered Fawziyah’s plan to leave him.
Despite Fawziyah already working as a qualified solicitor prior to their marriage, her professional success became a bone of contention for the young optical assistant. He couldn’t stand that Fawziyah was a strong, intelligent, and independent woman. He would criticise her for being ‘British’ and did all he could in their short time together to diminish her light.
Her husband did whatever he could to control and abuse her, not just physically and emotionally, but also financially when he stole £12,000 from her savings account.
Failings on an epic scale
Despite reporting her husband’s abuse to the police on two separate occasions prior to her murder, Fawziyah was failed on multiple levels, and ultimately the last failing occurred just three days before her death.
The continued police failings of safeguarding Fawziyah left her at an increased risk, and one that eventually proved fatal.
Statistics show that the longer someone is in an abusive situation, the risk of the abuse escalating is often inevitable. *
Just before her trip to Edinburgh, she’d advised the police of her travels. She was informed that if it wasn’t safe for her to go, then they would call her back, but a call never materialised. The final inaction by West Yorkshire Police that cemented Fawziyah’s fate.
Unfortunately, it was only after Fawziyah’s death, that investigations revealed negligence. West Yorkshire Police hadn’t risk assessed her properly, and her risk status had elevated from medium to high risk. This had happened long before her trip to Edinburgh, and yet was never picked up and relayed back to Fawziyah. Had a call been placed to Fawziyah as promised, then she’d most likely still be alive today.
Moreover, Fawziyah had planned with her parents to leave Anwar just 2 days after her murder.
It’s a truly harrowing and heart breaking reality to come to terms with for any loved one, let alone a parent.
A dying testimony at Arthurs Seat
In the absence of police intervention, Fawziyah and Kashif made it to Edinburgh without issue. His internet search history proved that he’d planned to take her to Arthur’s Seat, a famous Edinburgh landmark which sits atop an ancient volcano. At 251 meters above sea level, the views from this popular attraction are magnificent on a clear day.
Despite Kashif still claiming to this day that Fawziyah stood at the cliff’s edge and fell by accident, her dying testimony told passers-by of a very different story.
Remarkably, despite the height of the drop and the unforgiving terrain upon landing, Fawziyah survived for 1 hour and 20 minutes before succumbing to her injuries.
She died on the scene, in the presence of those female allies who would later affirm her testimony that ensured Kashif’s conviction.
She was 17 weeks pregnant with her baby boy at the time.
A double murder was essentially committed that day. How does a family even begin to recover from such a loss?
Can you imagine how evil you must be to inflict abuse on your spouse, and then plot to murder them, let alone your defenceless unborn child?
It’s a scenario that’s beyond comprehension, and yet it still happened.
Shockingly still, while Fawziyah was fighting for her life 50ft below, Kashif’s first move was to call his father, rather than the emergency services. Their conversation lasted for a full minute. Despite multiple calls to the emergency services from passers by, neither he nor his father called 999 that day for help. Instead, Kashif waited atop of Arthurs Seat until the police came to retrieve him for questioning more than an hour later.
Why did he call his father, what was the call about? Were his parents involved? Why didn’t he call the emergency services for help? Perhaps we’ll never truly know, but his behaviour that is beyond bizarre, and not that of a concerned spouse.
While in custody, Kashif’s behaviour became even more bizarre and suspect, asking police officers “how long does someone get for murder, what are the prisons like?”, all while claiming that he’s ruined his life.
As I’m hearing this, I can’t help but think to myself, “How did he ever think he would ever get away with it?” These aren’t the behaviours of an intelligent mastermind here.
Furthermore, neither he nor his parents felt the need to inform the Javed’s of Fawziyah’s death. Instead, they callously left it to West Yorkshire Police to knock on her parent’s door nine hours later.
“Who does such a thing? Not people of compassion, nor faith, surely?”, I say to Yasmin shaking my head in disbelief and disgust.
In fact, I felt myself shaking my head in horror so many times, as I sat there listening to Yasmin recounting those dreadful details.
It’s not often I’m lost for words, but I just didn’t know what to say. How can you console anyone in such a situation?
It’s often in the aftermath of death that people’s true natures are revealed; how they react to the loss, how they treat others who are grieving, how the subject of possessions and money is handled, etc.
It can certainly bring out the ugly side of some people, as I’m sure many people can agree.
Fawziyah’s dying Testimony
The first person on the scene was a young women who was running late that day, and had to take a detour but the next thing she saw was Fawziyah and the next person on the crime scene was a female police officer.
In front of these two female witnesses, Fawziyah bravely gave her testimony of what had happened on the top of Arthur’s Seat, how her husband Kashif had pushed her over the cliff, and how he’d been abusing and threatening her for months. It’s through her dying testimony, along with her police reports, and audio recordings she’d made of his abuse, that saw Kashif Anwar sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment in April 2023.
It’s why Fawziyah’s story is so unique. Unfortunately, honour-based homicide, and homicide from domestic abuse are more commonplace than you may realise.
However, murderers who are convicted from the testimony of their victims are practically unheard of.
According to the Femicide Census, an average of one woman dies at the hands of a man in the UK every 2.7 days.
Coercive control from the cells
Anyone with a heart would say that Fawziyah’s parents and loved ones have been through more than any family should have to endure in a lifetime.
Unfortunately, their nightmare continues at the hands of Kashif and his parents. Both he and his parents refuse to admit his guilt. Despite the mounting evidence against him to secure his conviction, he chose to drag the case to court, and has appealed more than once for a retrial. To date, his appeals have been unsuccessful.
Such denial of responsibility is quite typical of an abuser, but unfortunately for the victims and/or their families, this cruel behaviour only causes further trauma, impeding their recovery, and making closure impossible for years to come.
After three years, Fawziyah’s parents are still fighting to try and get her belongings returned from the Anwar family home.
“It’s not about material things, we don’t care about that, it’s about Fawziyah, it’s about feeling her close again, and morally her personal items should return to her family. We’ve hardly had anything back,” Yasmin says.
It’s something I completely emphasise with myself, having lost close family members over the years, something simple such as their scent on an item of clothing can bring such solace in a time of great pain and grief.
His parents have given multiple excuses over Fawziyah’s possessions since her murder; first they claimed she’d taken everything she owned to Edinburgh, then they refused to return her possessions, and when they were convinced that Kashif would be released on bail, they claimed he would give everything back. However, after all that, they now stand by the claim that they don’t know where her belongings are, like they’ve vanished into thin air.
The lies, mind games, and sheer lack of compassion appears to be never-ending.
Again, you have to ask yourself, who could do such a thing?
It’s coercive control at its finest, which is punishing a grieving family for no reason.
In all this time, neither he nor his parents have shown any feelings or compassion, grief, or remorse. To be so callous to another person takes certain character.
Please, just try to consider that for a moment.
How would it make you feel to be on the receiving end of such behaviour?
Still in shock
Speaking with Fawziyah’s mum Yasmin, you would perhaps be forgiven for thinking that she’d lost her daughter only a very short time ago, not three years ago on 2nd September.
But that is grief, it hits you like a bullet train on the best of days.
Grief doesn’t abide by time constraints. Grief knows no limits. Grief takes no prisoners.
Everyone is different, but there are perhaps two losses you’ll rarely get over in the life; the death of a parent, and the death of your child.
For Yasmin, Fawziyah’s mother, the grief of losing her beloved daughter is still so raw. She’s in deep pain and grief, a vicious cycle which she’s struggling to find a way out of.
With the coercive control still felt by the Anwars, the legal proceedings over Fawziyah’s belongings and police failings, she and her husband are reliving the trauma of losing Fawziyah every day, almost like it’s the first.
These ongoing matters are keeping the trauma of losing Fawziyah alive, hindering any chance of the Javed’s moving forward with their lives.
Yasmin has been unable to go back to work since their daughter was so wickedly taken from them, and her husband only in limited capacity.
They’re just lost without her. She was a shining light in their lives, and to everyone close to her. Her death has sent shockwaves across the community.
“I think I’m still in shock to be honest” Yasmin says, “I’m just too traumatised, that I struggle to see a way out through the grief. I just dread to think (of what she’d do). I’m completely broken inside”
“People tell me to go on holiday, to get a break, that it’ll do us good, but there’s no escaping the grief. I feel like I’m living in a fishbowl. People mean well but it’s hard”.
“We’re just existing, we’re not living anymore” Yasmin says.
It’s a heartbreaking statement to hear anyone say, but from someone so kind, it hits deeper.
Within moments of speaking with Yasmin, you can tell that Fawziyah’s nature is testament to her parents. Witnessing the beauty of Yasmin’s character while she’s speaking of their experience and grief, makes her words even harder to hear.
The constant trauma over the last three years has had a severe impact on Yasmin, and her quality of life. She’s become so forgetful, which I explained is completely understandable given what she’s endured. The brain can only cope so much trauma before it starts to have repercussions on your health.
Thankfully, they’ve come together as a family, and the community has been really supportive.
Speaking with Yasmin really does put things into perspective about how short our time is in this world; how precious time with our loved ones is, and how we should try to be grateful for all the little things that spark joy in our lives.
We often take our blessings and people for granted, it’s part of our nature, but we have to remind ourselves that nothing is guaranteed.
Keeping Fawziyah’s legacy alive
Fawziyah Javed was a beautiful soul who strived to help others. Whether it was through volunteering or raising much needs funds for projects around the world, charity work was a vital part of her life. She had a true altruistic heart, which anyone will agree is quite rare.
Since Fawziyah’s murder, her mum, dad, and wider family members have donated to many charitable causes in Fawziyah’s memory.
Immediately after her death, a journalist suggested setting up a GoFundMe page in her memory, for which they raised several thousands of pounds. With the funds, they gave to many causes needing help, including; hospices, homeless projects, and even funeral fees for a girl whose parents couldn’t afford the cost.
Since then, they decided to start a foundation in their daughter’s name. The Fawziyah Javed Foundation was created to give some solace practical support to other parents who’ve lost their children through homicide.
“Right now, it’s just baby steps. The foundation is very small at this stage, so we focus on cases in Yorkshire, Lancashire, and the Midlands, but in time who knows. Our aim was to give practical support to other parents like us. It’s not much, but it’s a gesture of support to these families, so they know we’re out there and thinking of them through such a horrific time, so they know that they’re not alone. Although we’re Muslim ourselves, we help anyone regardless of their background, and that’s how it should be”.
The foundation isn’t just for honour-based and marital homicide, but for any parent whose child has been murdered.
According to Statistica, there were 583 homicides in England and Wales from April 2023 to March 2024, 58 homicides in Scotland, and 13 in Northern Ireland. That’s a staggering total of 654 families and their communities affected.
The foundation has helped eleven families so far from all backgrounds in the region, and they’d welcome donations or support to help further families in crisis.
Every good deed and charitable effort Fawziyah’s parents accomplish is in their daughter’s memory.
I personally look forward to seeing what the future holds for the foundation. Being able to make something positive out of such an awful situation is such a great blessing. It also shows great strength in Yasmin’s character, that she’s able to apply her grief in such a positive and selfless way by giving comfort to others.
If you’d like to learn more about how to support the Fawziyah Javed Foundation, please go to – https://www.fawziyahjavedfoundation.org/
Last words
I left my call with Yasmin feeling a variety of emotions, including deep sadness, empathy, and sheer helplessness.
Naturally, I wanted to take their pain away, to heal the heartbreak within her family over Fawziyah’s murder. That’s impossible of course, as how can you bring solace to a family whose pain is insurmountable?
All I can do is try to remind people of Fawziyah’s legacy, of the beautiful young woman, who’s light was stolen by a monster who never deserved her affection and love. I can only pray for them, and pray that I have done Fawziyah, and her family justice in relaying her story, and to highlight the struggle of other parents who have lost a child by homicide.
We never know what’s around the corner, and how quickly things can change for the better, or the worse. Death is an inevitable part of life, it’s who we are, and what we do whilst we’re here that counts.
Fawziyah made such a huge and positive impact to the world in her 31 years on this earth. In her, she radiated hope and endless possibilities for the future. In such a relatively short time, she achieved so much good, and filled so many hearts with light and love.
How many of us can say the same?
What do you want to be remembered for, what do you want your legacy to be? It’s something we all need to take seriously and consider. I hope you’ll ponder on that after reading this.
Fawziyah was born 4th September 1989 in Leeds, Yorkshire. She was due to turn 32 the day she’d planned to leave her abusive husband, unfortunately fate had other plans. She and her unborn son died in the company of two female witnesses who recounted her dying testimony on 2nd September 2021. May she never be forgotten; may she always be remembered in loving memory.
My sincere thanks to Yasmin, Fawziyah’s mother, who through the pain and tears selflessly dedicated her time and effort to me, so I could write this article. You and your family are in my prayers, and my heart. I wish you all nothing but healing, solace, and the very best of blessings in this life and the hereafter.
For those reading this, some last and inspiring words to share with you. It’s a quote that Yasmin holds dear as it reminds her of her loving daughter, and the legacy we should all strive to create in this life:
“Live amongst people in such a manner that if you die, they weep over you and if you are alive, they crave for your company” Imam Ali (AS)
Thank you for reading and look after each other.
Gem Cooke
On behalf of Forgotten Women
The two-part Channel 4 documentary on the Fawziyah Javed murder The Push: Murder on the Cliff will be aired again on Wednesday 27th November at 10pm on Channel 4. Alternatively, it’s also available on demand at – The Push: Murder on the Cliff
Resources
Need Support?
If you’re a victim/survivor of domestic violence and need support, or you know of someone who is stuck in an abusive situation, then please see below a list of national services available. In case of an emergency, please always reach out to the police directly by dialling 999.
We know it’s scary to reach out for help, but it’s a first step to freeing yourself from such a toxic situation. There is lots of support available, and also in confidence if needed. You’re not alone.
If you’re a parent who’s lost your child to homicide and need support, below is a list of some national organisations which may be of help. Please also check local services available to you. These may be found at your local NHS trust website, citizens advice bureau, council or wellbeing hub.
- Victim Support
- SAMM (Support After Murder or Manslaughter)
- Muslim Bereavement Support Service
- Making Families Count
- Homicide Bereavement Therapeutic Service
- The Compassionate Friends
*Disclaimer – Forgotten Women is neither connected to, nor endorse the 3rd party organisations listed in this article.
Article References:
* https://www.domesticshelters.org/articles/identifying-abuse/abuse-almost-always-escalates
Statistica England and Wales Homicide Data
