Three people who police believe left the UK after a 10-year-old girl’s death were known to her, say officers.
The child, named locally as Sara Sharif was found dead in a house in Horsell, Surrey, in the early hours of Thursday.
Police said no one else was at the property when they arrived, and they believe the people they want to question left the UK on Wednesday.
Detective Chief Inspector Debbie White said officers were working with “international authorities” to locate them.
Formal identification is still to take place and a post-mortem examination is due to take place on Tuesday. However, Surrey Police said in a statement they “understand the child has been named locally”.
Neighbours said a Pakistani family with six “very young” children had moved in in April.
Officers remain at the property in Hammond Road in Horsell, a village less than a mile north of Woking town centre.
Flowers have been left outside, with one message reading: “Sweet girl, I’m so sorry that your sparkle was put out too soon.”
