A couple accused of deliberately starving their three-year-old daughter to death over many months in west London have denied murdering her.
Jaskiret Singh Uppal, 36, and Manpreet Jatana, 34, appeared via video link from HMP Pentonville and Bronzefield respectively at the Old Bailey on Tuesday to plead not guilty to killing Penelope Chandle.
They also denied manslaughter, causing or allowing the death of a child and child cruelty.
A trial date was set for January 11, 2027.
On December 17 2023, police found Penelope's "very emaciated" body wrapped in a sheet with bruising to her neck, the court was told previously.
An examination of her body found the cause of death was malnutrition.
There were also marks to the neck "consistent with the use of bindings", and injuries to the hands consistent with a sharp object such as a knife, the court heard.
Prosecutor Philip McGhee previously said the Crown's case was that the defendants mistreated their daughter over an "extended period of time" and "deliberately starved" her, leading to her death.
The court also heard that the couple failed to register Penelope's birth, provide her with GP care or education as they "isolated" themselves from the wider world.
When the child died, it is alleged that they initially thought of cremating the body in the back garden of their home in Hayes, west London, before contacting a funeral director.
At the time Penelope died, officers were said to have found the family's vegetarian diet mainly consisted of yoghurt, lentils and butter.
The defendants, who met at university, had not worked for some some time and lived in a house belonging to Uppal's father.
