Autistic boy killed after leaping from window, inquest finds
An inquest has concluded that the death of a five-year-old autistic boy who fell from a 15th-floor window in London was a tragic accident. The coroner exonerated the local council of culpability, despite the mother's previous concerns regarding window safety.
Why it matters
The case raises questions about housing safety standards for vulnerable residents and the responsibilities of local government authorities.
Image source, PA Media Image caption, Aalim Ahmed fell from the 15th floor of Jacobs House
A coroner has concluded that a five-year-old boy died after he leapt from the 15th floor of a tower in the belief he could fly, owing to his autism and inability to assess risk.
Aalim Ahmed died instantly when he fell from a kitchen window, which could tilt and turn, at a residential block in Plaistow, east London, on 16 May 2024.
Contrasting accounts about the condition of the windows were heard at the inquest into the boy's death.
Delivering a narrative conclusion, assistant coroner Ian Wade said that while the window was "compromised", there was "no compelling reason why a landlord should've considered that placing this little boy on the 15th floor was inappropriate".
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