Newham Council faces blame after five-year-old dies in Plaistow tower fall

A five-year-old boy died after falling from a 15th-floor flat in Jacobs House, Plaistow, on 16 May 2024. His mother, Sahra Osman, told Walthamstow Coroner’s Court that Newham Council failed to address faulty window restrictors despite her repeated complaints about the safety of the property.

Aalim Ahmed, who had autism and no sense of danger, fell from the kitchen window of the family’s flat shortly before 6am. His father discovered his body on the ground below. The inquest heard that Aalim’s cause of death was multiple injuries consistent with a fall from height.

Council ignored safety concerns, mother says

Osman told the court she moved into the flat in February 2023 while heavily pregnant and immediately raised concerns about its safety. She said she was advised to accept the property and complain later to avoid homelessness. The family included Aalim, a toddler, and her partner.

Osman said she repeatedly informed the council about faulty window restrictors, which she claimed were either broken or missing. She told the court that an engineer visited in January 2024 but did not fix the issue. The next day, she found a restrictor on the floor, leaving windows insecure.

Osman accused the council of not treating her concerns as an emergency. She said she sent emails and letters, including a GP’s note, to highlight the risks to her son. The council’s representative, Sandesh Singh, suggested the engineer had not been told about issues with the kitchen window, only the living room.

Osman denied any suggestion that she had forced windows open to cope with heat. She told the court all windows were kept closed at night. On the morning of the incident, her toddler woke the family by shouting Aalim’s name and pointing to the window.

Coroner acknowledges family’s loss

Assistant coroner Ian Wade opened the inquest by acknowledging the family’s loss. He said the circumstances of Aalim’s fall remained unclear. The hearing continues, with no date yet set for a conclusion.

Newham Council has not yet responded to the allegations made in court. The local authority is responsible for the maintenance of Jacobs House, a residential tower block in Plaistow.