MATTHEW COOPER Matthew Cooper A council was yesterday accused of burying its "head in the sand" in its response to the death of a seven-year-old girl who is alleged to have been starved at her home.
Labour MP Khalid Mahmood said he was amazed that Birmingham City Council had not agreed to demands for it to launch an inquiry into the death of Khyra Ishaq.
Speaking after the council confirmed Khyra's five siblings were now in foster care, Mr Mahmood expressed anger that the authority had not done more to reassure the local community.
The council said its Safeguarding Children Board, which investigates every child death, would meet tomorrow to review Khyra's case. But Mr Mahmood said: "It's not sufficient to alleviate some of the apprehension within the community. Basically, it's a way of shutting down any further discussion on this.
"I find it absolutely amazing that they are taking a head-in-the-sand approach to this."
Mr Mahmood said council officers had been told not to talk to him about Khyra, who died at Birmingham's Children's Hospital after paramedics were called to her home in Handsworth on Saturday.
Police are still awaiting the results of a post-mortem examination on Khyra's body, but sources have said the youngster is believed to have died of starvation.
She and her five siblings are reported to have been in an emaciated state when paramedics were called to their home. It has also been claimed that some of the children may have eaten scraps of bread left out for birds in their neighbour's garden.
Khyra's mother, Angela Gordon, 33, and her partner, Junaid Abuhamza, 29, have appeared in court charged with causing or allowing her death through neglect.
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