A MAN and woman have been charged with neglect after a seven-year-old girl died of starvation, police said today.

Little Khyra Ishaq was rescued alongside five other children by cops from a property in the Handsworth area of Birmingham, it is claimed.

Khyra later died in hospital.

Angela Gordon, 33, and Junaid Abuhamza, 29, believed to be the mother and step-father of Kyrah Ishaq, were arrested after police were called to an address in Leyton Road, Handsworth.

A neighbour reportedly said they saw the children grabbing bread which had been thrown out for birds.


Shocked

West Midlands police refused to confirm that starvation was the cause of death.

In a statement the force said: "We can confirm that a seven-year-old girl was taken to hospital on Saturday 17 May, where she was pronounced dead.

"Her cause of death has not been confirmed at this stage.

"Police are conducting inquiries and a man aged 29 and a woman aged 33 have been charged with neglect and appeared before Birmingham Magistrates on May 19."

The pair have been remanded in custody to appear again on May 28.

A West Midlands Police spokesman today confirmed the incident and said officers were working with the social services department at Birmingham City Council.

The door and ground floor windows of the house were covered with metal shutters today.

The sister of Khyras natural father visited Leyton Road today but said she did not know where he was or whether he knew that his daughter had died.

Valerie Frances said she was unaware of claims that her brother, originally called Delroy Frances, had changed his name to Abu Zaire Ishaq.

Miss Frances, who was carrying a young child, said she had not seen her six nieces and nephews since the beginning of last year.

"When I saw them last, they were in perfect health," she said.

Residents in the street were visibly shocked when told of the charges which have been brought against their former neighbours.

Sales worker Amarjit Ram said: "I am just shocked to be honest - the mother looked fine to me.

"I would see them in the street and I think they had lived there for a couple of years."

One neighbour, who did not want to be named, said: "We would never expect something like this.

"We knew they were going through some trouble about a year ago.

"Before that we used to see the children and they looked happy and normal, but after that we didnt see them.

"The house wasnt very well kept. Its not the cleanest of places."

He added police had been outside the house for up to four days and said an ambulance had come in the middle of the night.

It is believed police found six children on mattresses on the floor. The seven-year-old girl was critically ill and the five others were emaciated.

They were taken to Birmingham Childrens Hospital where the other five are now being treated.

Another neighbour, Mohammed Khalil, said he used to see some of the children in their uniforms on their way to Grove School in Handsworth.

He said: "The childrens father, he didnt live there. He was living there but then he moved out."

A council spokesman added: "We are deeply saddened by the death of this child and our sympathies go to the childs family and friends at this difficult time.

"This death is now the subject of a police enquiry and the council is fully supporting their investigation. As a result we are unable to make any further comment."