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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Father speaks over Khyra's death | Father speaks over Khyra's death |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The father of a seven-year-old girl who allegedly starved to death has called what happened "absolutely disgraceful". | |
| An independent inquiry has been launched after Khyra Ishaq, of Handsworth, Birmingham, died in hospital last Saturday. | |
| Angela Gordon, 33, and Junaid Abuhamza, 29, have been charged with neglect in connection with her death. | Angela Gordon, 33, and Junaid Abuhamza, 29, have been charged with neglect in connection with her death. |
| Birmingham City Council has said Khyra was not in the care of social services at the time of her death. | |
| Speaking for the first time about his daughter's death, Ishaq Abu Zaire vowed to find out how Khyra was allowed to die. | |
| "I'm just as ignorant as everyone else as to what happened," he told the BBC. | |
| "But... you can put your house on it that we're going to find out, one way or another, we are going to find out exactly what happened here." | |
| 'In shock' | 'In shock' |
| Birmingham social services have launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding Khyra's death. Her five siblings are now in foster care. | |
| Khyra's father said he feels let down by the authorities. | |
| "As far as I can see because I have a dead child right now, they did nothing, they did nothing," he said. | |
| Two people have been charged in connection with Khyra's death | Two people have been charged in connection with Khyra's death |
| "They never lifted a finger to do anything... so they are responsible as well." | "They never lifted a finger to do anything... so they are responsible as well." |
| He said the last time he saw all of the children, including Khyra, the girl was happy and there was "no concern... with regards to her health". | He said the last time he saw all of the children, including Khyra, the girl was happy and there was "no concern... with regards to her health". |
| Khyra's father had been out of the country until Saturday and he said he had not seen his children in more than a year. | Khyra's father had been out of the country until Saturday and he said he had not seen his children in more than a year. |
| Earlier, Khyra's grandmother Isolene Clark said she could not express the pain she felt over the death of her granddaughter. | |
| 'Let down' | |
| She questioned why social services had not intervened and why the family had to find out about Khyra's death from the media. | |
| "My grandchildren have been let down by the very people that are supposed to protect them and ensure they are safe," she said. | |
| "From the moment this terrible thing happened to my grandchildren and my beautiful granddaughter had died, I feel that me and my family have not been treated fairly. | |
| "No-one from the authorities had told me my granddaughter was dead and my grandchildren seriously ill. | |
| "I understand police wanted my son to be told first but in the absence of my son, I should have been told." | |
| She added that she had always been present in her grandchildren's lives but she had not seen them since falling ill in February. | |
| She said she last saw Khyra at Christmas, and she had been "jumping and kicking like little kids do". | |
| An independent panel met in Birmingham on Friday to discuss Khyra. | |
| Birmingham City Council said on Saturday: "We endeavoured to contact the close members of the family as soon as we possibly could after the death. | Birmingham City Council said on Saturday: "We endeavoured to contact the close members of the family as soon as we possibly could after the death. |
| "Khyra was not in the care of social services at the time of her death." | "Khyra was not in the care of social services at the time of her death." |