The family of an autistic five-year-old boy who died after jumping from a 15th-floor window have said they have repeatedly raised concerns about the safety of their home.
Aalim Ahmed was killed when he fell from the kitchen in a residential block in Plaistow, in the east Londonin 2024.
The window was ‘compromised’ and could tilt and rotate, 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 Aalim could throw himself out.
They said their autistic son “occupies our world” and said they “couldn’t have tried harder to keep him safe” before his death in May 2024.
Due to his condition, Aalim had no sense of danger and had ‘repeatedly’ thrown himself down the stairs.
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 missed and always 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 as there was no electricity or water.
The kitchen of a block of flats in Plaistow, east London, where five-year-old Aalim Ahmed fell
The tower block’s window was ‘compromised’ and could tilt and swivel, allowing the boy to open it and climb out
They claimed Newham Council knew why they were scared, having already provided information about Aalim’s condition three years before his death.
An inquest heard conflicting stories about the condition of the windows from the family and the municipality.
An engineer sent by Newham Council to carry out an inspection and look at the overhaul of the windows and handles said they were functioning when he saw them on December 17, 2023.
The couple says: ‘People came to our home and were told that the windows needed renovation and that the handles needed to be replaced.
“Those reports and visits have been documented, but the recommended work has not been carried out.”
After seven months of complaining, they said the work was finally done.
However, they said that from their perspective the danger was “never resolved” because the windows could still open “way too far” with minimal force.
“What happened has shown us that the system has many shortcomings and that things are not always taken seriously enough,” the couple said.
‘We know this firsthand. Many people have difficulty interacting with the church, and we sincerely hope that something can be learned from what happened to our family.
“No parent should ever have to bury their child. It is not the natural order of life. It’s not normal and it’s a pain that no parent should ever know.
“Our only question now is that no other family has to endure the devastation that we have experienced. We did everything we could to protect our son, and we will always believe that Aalim should still be here.”
The horror took place in May 2024 at the Jacobs House tower block in Plaistow, east London
The child’s mother complained that the windows opened too wide and she had no key to lock them
Two years after 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 day. It’s bittersweet.
“We’re constantly reminded of what we’ve lost, but at the same time we see so much of him in her.
“A 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 we have a little part of him here with us, and that way he will always be part of our family.”
In a narrative conclusion on Monday, assistant coroner Ian Wade said Aalim’s autism diagnosis left him “unable to make reliable judgments about his personal safety and capabilities.”
Mr Wade, sitting at the coroner’s court in east London, said the windows were ‘not being used properly’.
He added: ‘In the early hours of May 16, 2024, he woke up and went from his bedroom to the kitchen, climbing onto a chair and then onto the windowsill of a precarious double turn-tilt window.
“He opened the window and, naively believing that he could fly or otherwise not be harmed, he jumped out of the open window… he died on the spot.”
Mr Wade said he found no basis for issuing a report to prevent future deaths, adding: ‘I find there was no compelling reason why a landlord should have 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, but what was significant was that the windows had been damaged.’
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 remain with Aalim’s family and friends at this incredibly difficult time.
‘We are grateful to Coroner Ian Wade QC for his thorough and fair hearing into the facts of this case, which were at times very difficult to hear and review.’
Newham Council has been contacted for further comment.
