The couple is additionally charged with manslaughter, causing or allowing the death of a child, and abandoning a child. An Indian-origin couple accused of murdering their three-year-old daughter in the United Kingdom ‘deliberately starved her to death’ over a period of months, a London court was informed.
The two suspects, Manpreet Jatana, 34, and Jaskiret Singh Uppal, 36, appeared at the Old Bailey on Tuesday to face charges of the murder of their daughter Penelope Chandrie, whose starving body was discovered last year wrapped in a sheet in her west London home. The couple is additionally charged with manslaughter, causing or allowing the death of a child, and abandoning a child or causing them unnecessary suffering or injury.
Chilling details out
The prosecution alleged that Penelope was subjected to prolonged neglect and mistreatment by her parents, which culminated in fatal malnutrition. A post-mortem test also found that she had starved to death, with the cause of death recorded as “fatal ketoacidosis”, a condition that is associated with long periods without food.
“This was systematic starvation over several months,” prosecutors informed the court. Police said the house on Pennine Way was in bad shape, with little evidence that the child had been well looked after. The court was told Penelope’s family was reportedly vegetarian, with their diet allegedly consisting largely of yoghurt, lentils and butter. Pathological reports revealed “starvation over a very prolonged period of many months culminating in fatal ketoacidosis”, the prosecution was cited as saying.
Emergency services were called to the property on December 17, 2023, where they found Penelope already deceased. The investigation remained ongoing for months before Jatana and Uppal were arrested and formally charged last month. Judge Lynn Tayton has remanded both to custody until the next hearing on December 16, when they will enter their pleas of guilty or not guilty to determine if the case progresses towards sentencing or a jury trial.
The child’s death remained under investigation over the years until Jatana and Uppal were arrested and charged last month. “Following consultation with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), both people have been charged with murder in connection with the girl’s death,” the police said at the time.
Legal proceedings in the criminal court result in reporting restrictions until the next court hearing.
