A five-year-old boy died instantly after falling from a kitchen window of his family's 15th floor flat in Plaistow, east London, an inquest has heard. A child's voice could be heard counting down from three before the fall, according to audio played at Walthamstow Coroner's Court.
Fatal fall from 15th floor
Aalim Ahmed plunged from the kitchen window at Jacobs House in New City Road shortly before 6am on May 16, 2024. His father, Makail Ahmed, rushed from the flat and discovered his son's body. The boy's parents, Mr Ahmed and Sahra Osman, were forced to leave court when the audio clip was played, describing his death as "preventable" and blaming Newham Council.
The grainy audio, taken from CCTV outside the block, twice captures a young child's voice counting down "three, two, one", followed by a "loud clang" some seconds later, according to a statement from Detective Constable Joe Linton. After the commotion, another young child can be heard shouting "Aalim", believed to be his three-year-old brother.
Parents blame council
Ms Osman told the court she was "scared" and "horrified" when Newham Council placed the family in the top-floor flat, which needed repairs. She stated Aalim was autistic, had "no sense of danger", and the flat was unsuitable for her family, which also included a newborn baby girl. She claimed she reported safety concerns on multiple occasions, including faulty window restrictors, but workmen did not fix the problem.
Detective Inspector Jamie Humm, who investigated, said there was "no evidence or suspicion he (Aalim) had been forced." He noted: "The flat was well furnished and it was clearly a loving environment for a child." Assistant coroner Ian Wade said: "Aalim at his tender age, and with his autism, could not have known what could have happened. It seems to me that he would not have meant to have deliberately taken the stance to have harmed himself."
Investigation findings
DC Linton said "it is most likely from the footage available" that Aalim had "jumped out" of the flat "of his own accord without the presence of a third party." All windows were closed before the family went to bed, the inquest heard. Biscuits were found on the kitchen table, but it is not known how the child reached the window.
Robert O'Sullivan, of the London Ambulance Service, recalled that "a number of colleagues were visibly shocked" after finding the boy. Sergeant Christopher Diment said Mr Ahmed was "clearly distraught, pacing around and shouting". The council suggested the engineer who visited was not told of issues with the kitchen window restrictor, but problems in the living room were noted. Ms Osman denied any suggestion she may have forced the window open. The hearing continues.
