A pregnant woman who died after a 10-storey fall from a tower block said "I'm off" before the fall, which her baby miraculously survived. Mother-of-five Emma Atkinson "deliberately propelled herself" out of the window but may not have intended to kill herself, a coroner has found.
The Incident
Her daughter was successfully delivered within half an hour of the fall at Shakespeare Towers, in the Burmantofts area of Leeds, on October 22 2024. An inquest heard Ms Atkinson, 38, who was more than seven months pregnant, had gone to visit her father David Atkinson, who lived on the ninth floor.
Mr Atkinson told police that his daughter went into the living room of the flat, sat on the back of a chair and started smoking a cigarette in front of the window. In a statement summarised at the inquest, he said she removed the safety catches on the window and opened it fully, so it was horizontal.
Witness Account
The inquest heard Mr Atkinson asked what she was doing and told her to shut the window because it was cold, but she told him "not to worry (as) she was just getting some fresh air". Shortly afterwards he heard Ms Atkinson say: "I'm off," and saw her feet going out of the window. The inquest heard he ran over and saw his daughter on the pavement below.
Detective Constable Emily Parnham said Ms Atkinson's fall from the window at 10.20am was captured on CCTV, and she "did not appear to be distressed". The coroner heard how paramedics who arrived at the scene found that Ms Atkinson had not survived the fall, and all further treatment done was in the hope of saving the baby.
Aftermath and Investigation
The child was delivered by an emergency Caesarean section after Ms Atkinson arrived at Leeds General Infirmary. The inquest heard Mr Atkinson "believes Emma went to the flat with the intention of jumping out of the window to take her own life". Ms Parnham said West Yorkshire Police's investigation concluded there was no third party involvement in her death, and no suspicious circumstances.
Coroner Naomi McLoughlin said Ms Atkinson had struggled with her mental health in the past and was worried about possibly being sent to prison after missing a court appearance days before her death, over an allegation of shoplifting. Her family, who attended the inquest, said she was "so excited" about the impending births of her daughter and grandson and "would never have left her kids", adding that her "life revolved around her children".
Coroner's Conclusion
Ms McLoughlin said there was not enough evidence to say whether Ms Atkinson's death was suicide or an accident, and recorded a narrative conclusion that said: "Emma Atkinson died from a self-inflicted act but her probable intent cannot be ascertained either way." She said she was satisfied that Ms Atkinson had deliberately propelled herself out of the window, but added: "I have to consider the issue of her intent. I note the deliberate act of removing the safety catches from the window … and the manner of her falling, captured by the CCTV."
The coroner said she balanced that with the fact that there were no concerns raised about her mental health in the weeks leading up to her death, and that she had been making plans to see family. Ms McLoughlin said Ms Atkinson was "a much loved woman by all who knew her".
