A five-year-old boy died after falling from a 15th-floor kitchen window at a residential tower in Plaistow, East London, with an inquest hearing that he may have believed he could fly or would not be harmed.
Aalim Ahmed died at the scene shortly before 6am on May 16, 2024, after falling from the family’s flat at Jacobs House. His father, Makail Ahmed, rushed out of the top-floor apartment after discovering what had happened.
The inquest heard conflicting evidence over the condition of the window. Aalim’s mother, Sahra Osman, described the tragedy as “preventable” and said she had repeatedly raised concerns with Newham Council about the windows, including fears that they could open too far and that she did not have a key.
Ms Osman told the court she had been frightened when the family was placed in the flat because it required repairs. She also explained that Aalim was autistic and had what she described as no sense of danger. She claimed previous complaints about faulty window restrictors had resulted in several workers attending without properly resolving the issue.
However, a council-appointed engineer who inspected the windows in December 2023 said they were functioning at the time. Charlie Mann said he had tested the handles and restrictors and found them working, although after speaking with Ms Osman about her son, he decided that the existing restrictors should be replaced with lockable versions.
Nine replacement restrictors were subsequently ordered, with contractors attending the property in January 2024. Evidence presented during the inquest later raised questions about whether the window restrictor was consistently engaging.
The court was shown footage of police testing the window, with the restrictor failing to engage every time. James Mann, managing director of the company employing the engineer, said the window appeared to require an adjustment, although he said he needed more information before determining the precise fault.
Assistant coroner Ian Wade concluded that Aalim had climbed onto a chair before reaching the windowsill and opening the double turn-and-tilt window. He said the youngster may have had a naive belief that he could fly or that he would not come to harm before falling from the open window.
The court also heard that CCTV audio captured a young child apparently counting “three, two, one”, followed several seconds later by a loud clang.
Police said there was no evidence that Aalim had been forced from the flat or that a third party had been involved. Detective Inspector Jamie Humm said investigators found no indication of a crime and described the home as well furnished and clearly a loving environment for a child.
Newham Council housing cabinet member John Gray described Aalim’s death as a tragic accident and said the council’s thoughts remained with the boy’s family and friends. He also expressed gratitude to the coroner for conducting what he described as a thorough and fair hearing into the circumstances surrounding the child’s death.
