Girl 'died after being starved'

Khyra Ishaq was deliberately starved, the court heard A seven-year-old girl kept prisoner by her mother and her partner died after being starved for weeks or months, a court has heard. Khyra Ishaq was eventually taken to hospital but died of an infection, Birmingham Crown Court was told. Jurors heard UK doctors had rarely seen such a severe case of starvation. Khyra's mother Angela Gordon, 34, and Junaid Abuhamza, 30, both of Leyton Road, Handsworth, Birmingham, deny murdering Khyra on 17 May last year. Prosecutor Timothy Raggatt, QC, told jurors: "It's highly likely that you will find some of what you will hear distressing and disturbing. Khyra's mistreatment was calculated and deliberate.  It's just as much murder... as if they had shot, stabbed, beaten or strangled Khyra to death  Timothy Raggatt QC, prosecuting "The actual means or process which resulted in [Khyra's death] was brought about by a series of actions that were in effect the deliberate and calculated starvation of that little girl over a period, certainly of weeks, and very possibly months." He said the pair had still murdered Khyra even though she died from an infection because they had intended to cause her really serious harm. He added: "It's just as much murder... as if they had shot, stabbed, beaten or strangled Khyra to death." He said Ms Gordon and Mr Abuhamza had betrayed their duty of care for Khyra and five other children. Mr Abuhamza has admitted five counts of child cruelty while Ms Gordon denies five counts of child cruelty between December 2007 and May 17, 2008.