Mother appears in court over Khyra murder

Updated 12.42 Thu Aug 14 2008

Keywords: murder, Angela Gordon, Junaid Abuhamza, khyra ishaq

A mother accused of starving her seven-year-old daughter to death has appeared in court via videolink.

Angela Gordon, 33, was charged on Wednesday with the murder of Khyra Ishaq who was found dead at her home in Leyton Road, Handsworth, Birmingham on May 17.

Junaid Abuhamza was not required to appear in court after being judged to be unfit to attend the hearing

Gordon spoke just twice during a 20-minute hearing before the Recorder of Birmingham, Judge Frank Chapman, at the Crown Court.

Her partner, Junaid Abuhamza, 29, has also been charged with Khyra's murder, but was not required to appear in court after being judged to be unfit to attend the hearing.

Both Gordon and Abuhamza also face separate charges of cruelty to five other children, who cannot be identified for legal reasons.

They will appear before Birmingham Magistrates Court next week to face the additional charge of murder.