Khyra Ishaq starvation death: Why did social workers ignore warnings, asks MP
Social workers failed to visit a girl who starved to death, despite her being
withdrawn from school amid allegations that she and her siblings were being
bullied, it was disclosed yesterday.
An educational social worker went to the home of seven-year-old Khyra Ishaq and
her five brothers and sisters in Handsworth, Birmingham, shortly after they were
removed from school but got no reply.
Khalid Mahmood, the MP for the area, claims that no follow-up call was made over
the next two months and no one went round again.
Yesterday he demanded an inquiry into the alleged failings in the lead-up to
Khyra being taken to hospital in a severely emaciated state.
Khyra, her two sisters and three brothers, were discovered at their two-bedroom
terrace in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Ambulance crews tried to resuscitate her but it is believed she was already dead
when they arrived.
The other children, aged between four and 12, were lying on mattresses on the
floor next to their sister and were taken to hospital. Birmingham City Council
said yesterday that they had been placed in foster care.
The children's mother, Angela Gordon, 33, and her boyfriend, Junaid Abuhamza,
have been charged with neglect and remanded in custody.
Mr Mahmood, the Labour MP for Perry Barr, said the failure to try to contact the
family again after the attempted visit constituted a "breakdown of protocols and
structures".
He said: "I am flabbergasted by the incompetence of the council in their failure
to follow up this case.
"We have a situation where there are issues with bullying and taking children
out of school yet there is one visit, where no one answers the door, and then
nothing. The fact the social worker was not allowed into the house should have
set the alarm bells ringing.
"Clearly there were significant failures.
"The council is battening down the hatches and not saying anything about this at
a time when they should be giving reassurance and confidence to my constituents
to alleviate the tension over this situation."
Jamil Mohammed, 23, a neighbour, of Khyra's family, said Mr Abuhamza had been
invited into the house by the children's birth father, Abu Zaire Ishaq, around
two years ago. He said Mr Ishaq, formerly known as Delroy Francis, was, like
homeless Mr Abuhamza, a recent convert to Islam.
A spokesman for Birmingham City Council refused to comment on the efforts of
social workers to visit the family. The council has been granted an emergency
protection order for Khyra's siblings and said their welfare "remains our top
priority".
Telegraph UK
