Newham Council Knew Plaistow Tower Window Could Open Too Far Before Boy’s Death
Aalim Ahmed, five, fell from a 15th-floor kitchen window his parents had repeatedly asked to leave
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A five-year-old boy fell to his death from a 15th-floor kitchen window in a Plaistow tower block his family had repeatedly asked Newham Council to leave. Aalim Ahmed died on 16 May 2024 after falling from the window at Jacobs House, a temporary social housing flat managed by the council.
An inquest at East London Coroner’s Court heard the window was functional and could be operated by a child. Nnenna Muoma, Newham Council’s property manager, visited the family on the day of the incident and later wrote that more restricted features could have been installed to reduce the risk.
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Parents Had Warned Council About Safety
Aalim’s parents, Makail Ahmed and Sahra Osman, told the court they had raised concerns about the flat’s safety multiple times. Osman said she was scared when the council placed them on the top floor because her son, who was autistic, had no sense of danger. She described the property as unsuitable for her young family, which included a newborn daughter.
Osman told the court she felt obliged to accept the flat or risk homelessness. On the day of Aalim’s death, she repeated to Muoma: “I asked to be moved and nobody listened to me.” Muoma said she did not have that information but offered to find alternative accommodation for the night.
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Window Restrictors Could Have Been Fitted
Muoma told the inquest she had seen other households with children with special needs fitted with additional safety gadgets. She said she was not an expert on window restrictors and did not know the ones in place could be locked. She tried the window twice during her visit and managed to open it on the second attempt, though she could not recall exactly how.
A postmortem examination concluded Aalim died from multiple injuries caused by a fall from height. Newham Council said it would not comment until the inquest concludes. The hearing is continuing.
I asked to be moved and nobody listened to me.
Sahra Osman, Aalim’s mother
Questions this report answers
+What safety measures could have been installed at the flat?
Newham Council’s property manager told the inquest more restricted window features could have been fitted to reduce the risk of a child opening the window too far. She said she had seen similar gadgets in other households with children with special needs.
+Why did Aalim Ahmed’s parents want to move out of the flat?
Sahra Osman said the 15th-floor flat was unsuitable because her autistic son had no sense of danger. She described feeling scared and horrified when the council placed them there, as it also needed repairs and included a newborn daughter.
+What did the postmortem examination find?
The postmortem concluded Aalim Ahmed died from multiple injuries caused by a fall from height. The inquest is ongoing, and Newham Council has declined to comment until it concludes.
+What happens next in the inquest?
The inquest into Aalim Ahmed’s death is continuing at East London Coroner’s Court. Newham Council has said it will not comment until the hearing concludes, which has not yet been scheduled.
News London Desk
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