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On 16 July, police reported finding a 13-year-old female student unconscious in a drain near the girls' dormitory of a secondary religious school in Papar, Sabah, believed to have fallen from the third floor
She was taken to hospital but died the next day, 17 July.
Zara Qairina's death has since drawn public attention and led to various claims, with allegations of bullying surfacing on social media.
Here is the chronology of the case so far:
16 July 2025 (Wednesday)
- Zara was found unconscious in a drain at the secondary school's dormitory building at 3am. No witnesses or CCTV footage were reported.
- Police received a report about the case around 8am. The victim was immediately sent to Queen Elizabeth I Hospital (HQE I) in Kota Kinabalu for treatment.
17 July 2025 (Thursday)
- The student was reported to have suffered severe internal injuries and broken limbs. She was pronounced dead at 1pm at HQE 1.
- Her body was buried in her hometown of Kampung Kalamauh Mesapol, Sipitang.
18 July 2025 (Friday)
- News of Zara's death began spreading on social media with the hashtag #JusticeForZara, along with allegations of bullying, demanding accountability.
- MARA chairman Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki urged authorities to act on the alleged bullying.
- Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek visited the family at the hospital. She said the Sabah State Education Department provided immediate assistance to the family and that the incident is under investigation by police.
21 July 2025 (Monday)
- Zara's mother, Noraidah Lamat, 43, shared with reporters about her memories of their final weekend together and called for a fair and transparent investigation. No mention was made about the bullying allegations.
23 July 2025 (Wednesday)
- A Facebook post, allegedly from a relative, surfaced claiming that the school principal tried to prevent the family from filing a police report on the day Zara's body was found, demanding justice and a thorough investigation into her cause of death.
26 July 2025 (Saturday)
- Fadhlina reiterated the need for all parties to give the police time and space to conduct a thorough investigation into the case.
28 July 2025 (Monday)
- Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Jauteh Dikun urged the public to refrain from speculation.
30 July 2025 (Wednesday)
- New social media posts allege six individuals were involved in bullying Zara, including children of VVIPs.
- The allegation was also raised in parliament by Indera Mahkota MP Datuk Seri Saifuddin Abdullah, who expressed concern over school safety and urged for a swift resolution of the investigation to put an end to the rumours surrounding the case.
31 July 2025 (Thursday)
- Fadhlina once again assured parliament that the Education Ministry is giving top priority to the case to ensure justice is served.
- Jauteh said today the investigation is nearing completion — with 60 individuals interviewed — and has been submitted to Bukit Aman for review before being forwarded to the Attorney-General's Chambers.
- He added that the circumstances surrounding Zara's death, including all possible factors such as bullying, are still being carefully assessed.
- He also dismissed claims that his own children attend the school, stressing that the case is being handled without bias.
As of 31 July, it has been 15 days since Zara was found unconscious
While investigations are still ongoing, her death continues to raise concern about students' safety in schools.
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