The family of an autistic five-year-old boy who died when he plunged from a 15th-floor window has said they repeatedly raised concerns about the safety of their home.
Aalim Ahmed was killed when he fell from the kitchen at a residential block in Plaistow, east London, in 2024.
The window had become ‘compromised’ and could tilt and turn, allowing the youngster to open it and climb out, believing he could fly.
His grieving parents, Makail Ahmed and Sahra Osman, said they raised concerns about the windows in the flat shortly after moving in and feared that Aalim could throw himself out of them.
They said their autistic son ‘occupied our world’ and said they ‘could not have tried harder to keep him safe’ before his death in May 2024.
His condition meant that Aalim had no sense of danger and had ‘repeatedly’ thrown himself down stairs.
Speaking of their loss, the couple said: ‘We will carry him with us every day – in our hearts, in our memories, and in the little reminders of him that surround us. He will always be loved, always be missed, and always be a part of our family.’
From the moment they moved into Jacobs House, Mr Ahmed and Ms Osman said they experienced ‘serious problems’ with the flat, with no electricity or water.
The kitchen at a residential block in Plaistow, east London, where five-year-old Aalim Ahmed fell to his death
The tower block window had become ‘compromised’ and could tilt and turn, allowing the boy to open it and climb out
They claimed that Newham Council knew why they were frightened, having already provided information about Aalim’s condition three years before his death.
An inquest heard contrasting accounts about the condition of the windows from the family and the council.
An engineer sent by Newham Council to carry out an inspection and look at overhauling the windows and handles said they were functioning when he saw them on December 17, 2023.
The couple said: ‘People came to our home and we were told that the windows needed to be overhauled and that handles needed to be changed.
‘Those reports and visits are documented, but those recommended works were not carried out.’
After seven months of complaining, they said work was eventually carried out.
However, they said from their perspective the danger had ‘never been resolved’ as the windows could still open ‘far too widely’ with minimal force.
‘What happened has shown us that the system has many flaws and that things are not always taken seriously enough,’ the couple said.
‘We know this first-hand. Many people struggle when dealing with the council, and we sincerely hope that something can be learned from what has happened to our family.
‘No parent should ever have to bury their child. It is not the natural order of life. It is not normal, and it is a pain that no parent should ever have to know.
‘Our only ask now is that no other family has to go through the devastation that we have. We did everything we felt we could to protect our son, and we will always believe that Aalim should still be here.’
The horror unfolded in May 2024 at Jacobs House tower block in Plaistow, east London
The child’s mother complained that the windows opened too wide and she did not have a key to lock them
Two years on from their son’s tragic death, the family said they ‘believe with all our hearts that we will see him again one day’.
They added: ‘We are blessed with two beautiful children, and our daughter reminds us of him every single day. It is bittersweet.
‘We are constantly reminded of what we have lost, but at the same time, we see so much of him in her.
‘Part of him will always be with us, and we love that more than words can say.
‘She looks so much like him, and even the things she does at her age remind us of him.
‘It feels like having a little part of him here with us, and in that way, he will always be a part of our family.’
In a narrative conclusion on Monday, Assistant Coroner Ian Wade said Aalim’s autism diagnosis made him ‘incapable of making reliable judgments about his personal safety and abilities’.
Mr Wade, sitting at East London Coroner’s Court, said the windows ‘were not used appropriately’.
He added: ‘In the early hours of May 16 2024, he awoke and went from his bedroom to the kitchen, he climbed onto a chair and then onto the windowsill of an insecure double turn and tilt window.
‘He opened the window and in a naïve belief that he could fly or alternatively could come to no harm he leapt from the open window… he died at the scene.’
Mr Wade said he did not find a basis for issuing a report to prevent future deaths, adding: ‘I find there was no compelling reason why a landlord should’ve considered that placing this little boy on the 15th floor was inappropriate.’
He said: ‘It wasn’t the fact that it was the 15th floor that was significant, what was significant was that the windows had become compromised.’
John Gray, cabinet member for housing, Newham Council, previously said: ‘This was a tragic accident which resulted in the heartbreaking death of a young five-year-old child.
‘Our thoughts continue to be with Aalim’s family and friends during this incredibly difficult time.
‘We are grateful to the coroner Ian Wade KC for his thorough and fair hearing of the facts of this case, which have at times been very difficult to hear and revisit.’
Newham Council has been contacted for further comment.
