Boy, 5, died after 15th-floor window fall; inquest clears council

A five-year-old boy died instantly after falling from a 15th-floor kitchen window in Plaistow, east London, on 16 May 2024. An inquest into the death of Aalim Ahmed concluded on Monday, with the coroner delivering a narrative conclusion.

Assistant coroner Ian Wade stated that Aalim, who was autistic and had no sense of danger, "opened the window and in a naive belief that he could fly or alternatively could come to no harm he leapt from the open window". The coroner added that while the window was "compromised", there was "no compelling reason" for a landlord to consider the 15th floor inappropriate for the child's placement.

Concerns over windows

Aalim's parents, Makail Ahmed and Sahra Osman, had expressed concerns about the windows in their temporary social housing flat. They recalled moving into the top-floor property and fearing the windows could open too widely with minimal effort. The parents stated they were "terrified about what this could mean for Aalim".

The inquest heard that an engineer appointed by Newham Council inspected the windows in December 2023. This engineer found the windows to be functioning at the time of the inspection. The boy's mother had, however, raised a list of complaints over several months, including her fears about the windows opening too widely and her lack of a key to secure them.

The parents had previously expressed horror at being placed in the top-floor flat, which required repairs, and suggested the authority could have prevented the tragedy. However, the inquest exonerated Newham Council from culpability.

Council response

Following the hearing, John Gray, cabinet member for housing at Newham Council, issued a statement. He described the incident as a "tragic accident" that resulted in the "heartbreaking death of a young five-year-old child". Mr. Gray extended the council's thoughts to Aalim's family and friends and thanked the coroner for conducting a "thorough and fair hearing".

The parents of Aalim Ahmed stated their loss is "a pain that no parent should ever have to know" and expressed a hope that other families can be spared the "devastation" they have experienced. They added: "We did everything we felt we could to protect our son, and we will always believe that Aalim should still be here."