Say Anything Blog

Girl, 7, starves to death and five siblings found in emaciated state after they were seen eating bread left for the birds.

A seven-year-old girl has died of starvation after police found her and five other children in an emaciated state and living in squalor. Khyra Ishaq died soon after she and her siblings, three boys and two girls, were rescued from their home and taken to hospital.

Police had been tipped off to their condition by neighbours who spotted them eating bread that had been left out for the birds. A man and a woman, believed to be their mother and stepfather, appeared in court today charged with neglect and were remanded in custody.

Neighbours claimed the children’s mother had recently converted to Islam and that she had split up from her children’s father several years ago. Lilian Costello said she had known her well and used to speak to her almost every day until December but had not seen the children for months.  She said: “I saw her on Christmas Eve and I wished her a Merry Christmas but she said she didn’t celebrate it, she celebrated Eid.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1020941/Girl-7-dies-starvation-eating-bread-left-birds.html

I see no direct, objective evidence that this mother’s conversion to Islam had anything at all to do with her change in motherly behavior; but, it appears that a great change took place in this household almost immediately after the mother converted, wherein her happy, healthy children virtually disappeared and when the police finally investigated they found the children starving, one unto death. Is there any connection?

In violation of Islam it appears this woman may have had a male lover. So, did this woman simply develop a mental illness as a coincidence to her conversion? What made a mother that by all reports was a loving mother suddenly starve her children and keep them prisoner?

Where was child welfare? Where were neighbors reporting a strange change in behavior by this family? Why did it take so long for anyone to notice and take action? Did fear of offending Muslims retard the investigation or delay reports of possible child abuse?