Mother who starved seven-year-old daughter to death is released after only seven years

A mother who was jailed for starving her young daughter to death has been freed from jail after serving just half of her original sentence." 

Angela Gordon, 42, was sentenced to 15 years in February 2010 following the death of daughter Khyra Ishaq, 7, in May 2008."

The child was found dead and skeletal, weighing just 2st 9lb, losing 40% of her body weight after catching a chest infection."

Gordon, who is mentally ill, forced Khyra to stand outside in freezing weather in just her underwear and was beaten with a bamboo cane along with five other children."

Birmingham Crown Court heard how Khyra’s stepdad, Junaid Abuhamza, made the children eat out of bowls in their bedroom –  each time he decided to let the children eat.

Gordon made the youngsters follow the strict code so they would learn “about being dutiful to your parents”.

Gordon admitted manslaughter while Abuhamza pleaded guilty to manslaughter by diminished responsibility and was also jailed over Khyra’s death, and for subjecting five other children to horrific cruelty."

Khyra’s father, Ishaq Abu-Zaire, from Birmingham, has lashed out at the decision to release Gordon after seven years." 

He said: “I got a letter from the NSPCC to say she had been released around April time, but no one from the authorities has been in touch. It is ridiculous."

"Angela has got out after seven years, only serving half her sentence – but I’m still suffering.”

He added that he has no idea where Gordon is now."

Paying tribute to his daughter, Ishaq said: “Khyra was a very bright child, bouncy and full of life. 

That’s the only memory I have of her, apart from when I had to identify her in the hospital."

Paying tribute to his daughter, Ishaq said:

“Khyra was a very bright child, bouncy and full of life. That’s the only memory I have of her, apart from when I had to identify her in the hospital."

“Seeing her go from one to the other was heartbreaking. There were so many emotions. You have to keep calm and in control – but it’s hard to fight your anger.”

Ishaq successfully sued Birmingham Council for negligence after Gordon and Abuhamza were jailed.

He added:

“I saw the children seven days before Khyra’s death. They looked odd, but I hadn’t seen them for such a long time before that."  “I saw the children seven days before Khyra’s death. They looked odd, but I hadn’t seen them for such a long time before that.

“I knew they had changed, but I had never seen signs of malnutrition before. They had no fat on their cheeks and they looked slim." 

“I was frustrated that my lack of knowledge meant I didn’t pick up the signs. My problem was the number of opportunities the council had to step in – and they did nothing.”