New details emerge in Safa Annour murder investigation

ACT Policing has refused to provide any new information about the case, nor confirm or deny if a suspect has fled overseas.

Two-year-old Safa Annour died from internal bleeding caused by blunt force trauma on April 30, 2018. Mystery continues to surround the death.

The Sunday Canberra Times has learned the family was living away from home and was receiving crisis support at the time of the toddler's suspected murder.

It is understood Safa was living with her mother and brother, but was possibly being cared for by other people at the time she sustained the fatal injuries.

A resident who lived near the family at the time of the alleged murder said police and forensics were "all over" the house the mother and her children were living in on the day the little girl died.

The resident said Safa's mother and brother continued to live there for months after the death, until some time shortly before Christmas, after which time they had not been seen at the house.

Police waited more than six months to inform the public of the toddler's alleged murder.

Thirteen months on, police continue to refuse multiple requests for information, including for an update on the investigation.

The girl's death was referred to the coroner. An ACT Coroners Court spokeswoman said the coronial investigation would recommence - following an initial autopsy - when the criminal investigation had concluded.

Safa Annour, aged two, was pronounced dead about 1.50pm on April 30, 2018.

She died of internal bleeding caused by blunt force trauma. The autopsy showed the wounds were inflicted by another person.

Police said she was taken to Canberra Hospital where she could not be revived, but they have not said who took her there.

The little girl was buried in a children's plot at Gungahlin Cemetery on Thursday, May 10, 2018.

On November 1, more than six months after her death, police informed the public, released CCTV footage and called for assistance.

The CCTV footage showed Safa, a woman believed to be her mother, and a second child believed to be her brother getting off a Green Rapid 6 bus on Stuart Street, Griffith at 8.40am on Monday, April 30, 2018.

It was just five hours later that she was taken to hospital and could not be resuscitated.

On the bus, the little girl appeared to be uninjured. She waved happily to the bus driver as she got off at a stop just north of the Griffith shops.

When the CCTV footage was released, Detective Superintendent Scott Moller described it as an absolutely horrendous case.

"ACT Policing believes there are people in the community who have information relating to what we believe is Safa's murder and we are asking anyone with information about the toddler's death to come forward," he said.

Less than two weeks later, police released a second clip of CCTV footage showing Safa on the day before she died. Once again, police pleaded for information.

This second release of footage showed Safa and another child, again believed to be her brother, accompanied by a different woman to the one on the bus. They were walking south on Sturt Avenue, Narrabundah at about 9.40am on Sunday, April 29 last year.

Police said they did not know who that woman was, but she was not being treated as a suspect.

Police said two people were responsible for the care of Safa at the time she was murdered, but they would not say what relationship they had to the girl. They also refused to say if these people were suspects in the case.

A spokesman said police wanted to reassure Canberrans every effort was being made to identify and charge the person or people responsible for Safa's death.

Anyone with information is asked to contact investigators directly on 0427 598 207, Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or via the website. Please quote reference 6261136. Information can be provided anonymously.