Two people have appeared in court charged with neglect after a seven-year-old girl died.

Reports claim that the girl was one of six children rescued from a terraced house in the Handsworth area of Birmingham in the early hours of Saturday. All six were found lying on mattresses and showing signs of emaciation, the report said.

West Midlands police named the girl as Khyra Ishaq, but 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, May 17, where she was pronounced dead. The girl's name is Khyra Ishaq of Leyton Road, Handsworth.

"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.

"They have been remanded to appear again on May 28. As proceedings are active, we cannot comment further at this time."

The couple who appeared in court were Angela Gordon, 33, and Junaid Abuhamza, 29. They are believed to have been Khyra's mother and stepfather.

Tonight, metal shutters covered the door and ground floor windows of the house at the centre of the inquiry.

Residents in the street were surprised when told of the charges against their former neighbours.

A Birmingham City Council spokesman said: "We are deeply saddened by the death of this child and our sympathies go to the child’s family and friends at this difficult time.

"This death is now the subject of a police inquiry and Birmingham City Council are fully supporting the investigation."

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