Mother charged over 'starve' death (From Ealing Times)

Mother charged over 'starve' death

2:44am Thursday 14th August 2008

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The mother and stepfather of a seven-year-old girl who allegedly starved to death have been charged with her murder, the Crown Prosecution Service said.

In a short statement, a spokeswoman for the CPS said it had authorised West Midlands Police to charge Junaid Abuhamza and Angela Gordon with the murder of Khyra Ishaq, who was found dead at her Birmingham home in May.

"Following a detailed and careful review of the file, a decision has been reached that there is sufficient evidence to charge the two defendants with the murder of Khyra," the spokeswoman said.

Gordon, 33, and Abuhamza, 29, had previously been charged with "causing or allowing" the death of Khyra, who died after paramedics were called to her home in Leyton Road, Handsworth, in the early hours of May 17.

Both Gordon and Abuhamza also face separate charges of cruelty to five other children, who cannot be identified for legal reasons.

The are due to appear via videolink before the Recorder of Birmingham, Judge Frank Chapman, on Thursday for a preliminary Crown Court hearing relating to charges of cruelty and that of causing or allowing Khyra's death.

They will then appear before Birmingham Magistrates Court next Wednesday to face the additional charge of murder.

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