A 3-year-old girl in the Bronx whose parents are accused of starving her to death had medical issues from birth that are  central to understanding what happened,  a lawyer for her father told the Daily News on Wednesday.

Essence Gill-Harris died on March 3 from acute and chronic neglect, including malnutrition and dehydration, according to the city Medical Examiner. Her death was ruled a homicide.

Calvin Harris, 37, and Ymonzherae Gill, 35, were arrested this week for murder and manslaughter for the death of their daughter.

Both parents were also charged with assault for the neglect of their son, little Essence's twin brother, who was hospitalized for a month due to malnourishment.

But a lawyer for Harris claims the charges don't reflect the facts, including the twins' complicated medical issues, starting with their extremely premature birth.

The twins  had been in and out of hospitals their entire lives, including a long hospitalization when they were first born,  lawyer Javier Solano said in a statement.  This is not a case of a father who intended to harm or neglect his child. He is most certainly not a father that acted with depraved indifference to the lives of his kids. 

Harris pointed to Harris and Gill's healthy older child, who was also living in the home, as evidence that something else was going on with the twins.  The twins' medical circumstances were different,  Harris said.

 I have worked on  baby death' cases in the past and I know that the normal gut reaction is condemnation,  Harris said.  I ask the public (and the press) to keep an open mind and allow the evidence to be presented in court before reaching judgment. 

The twins were kept constantly in a crib in the family's second-floor apartment on E. 215th St. near Paulding Ave. in Williamsbridge and  left to fend for themselves,  a law enforcement source with knowledge of the case said.

 These precious children were found in deplorable conditions,  Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark said in a statement.  Sadly, the little girl could not be saved. These defendants allegedly failed to adequately feed and care fo
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