Khyra Ishaq estate and family members to sue Birmingham

Birmingham City Council is facing legal action from the estate of Khyra Ishaq and members of her family, it has emerged.

Law firm Anthony Collins confirmed it had submitted a letter of claim against the local authority on behalf of the estate, Khyra Ishaq’s biological father and her surviving siblings.

Partner Tony Hall said: “The claim against the council alleges that it owed a duty of care to the children and that the negligence of Birmingham City Council’s social services and its refusal to act played a key part in the longevity of the abuse.

“The council has until the end of January to respond by making admissions or denying the allegations. The amount of compensation which the family will be entitled to is yet to be calculated and will depend on the extent of the physical and psychological impact on the individuals concerned.”

Hall added that the case was being funded through legal aid.

A spokesman for Birmingham said it would be inappropriate for the council to comment at this stage.

Khyra Ishaq died at the age of seven in 2008. A serious case review found that the girl had been starved over a period of several months.

Her mother, 35-year-old Angela Gordon, and an adult male who resided at the home, 31-year-old Junaid Abuhamza, pleaded guilty in 2010 to her manslaughter.

The serious case review found that Khyra’s death was the responsibility of the mother and the adult male.

However it also concluded that had there been better assessments and effective inter-agency communication over a period of time it could have have been prevented.

The review also found that there were “a number of early missed opportunities for intervention by professionals”.