A mother has told an inquest into the death of her son that his fall from a 15th-floor flat in Plaistow, east London, was "preventable" and the local council failed to act on repeated safety warnings. The boy, aged five, died after falling from a kitchen window in the flat at Jacobs House and was found by his father shortly before 6am on 16 May 2024, the inquest at Walthamstow Coroner’s Court heard.
Family raised safety concerns before the tragedy
The child’s mother told the court she moved into the top-floor flat in February 2023 while heavily pregnant and had repeatedly complained about the condition of the property. She said she and her family, which included another toddler and her partner, were advised to accept the tenancy and pursue repairs later to avoid the risk of homelessness.
She described being "scared" and "horrified" by the state of the property and told counsel for Newham Council that her concerns were ignored. According to the mother, the window restrictors in the flat were faulty and, despite multiple visits by workmen, the issue was not resolved.
“You guys ignored me rather than doing anything about the actual issues,”
The mother told the court she had informed the council that her son had autism and “no sense of danger”, and said she provided a letter from his GP and other professionals outlining his needs.
Circumstances of the death
Medical cause of death recorded at the inquest is multiple injuries due to trauma sustained in a fall from height. The boy’s body was identified by family members, the court heard.
While the precise sequence of events that led to the fall has not been set out in full at the hearing, the mother said she believed her son may have climbed to reach a biscuit in a cupboard and that the faulty restrictors allowed the window to open further than it should have done.
Questions for the council
The mother directly challenged Newham Council’s representative in court, telling him: “If you had done your job, he could have been here.” She said she had “tried everything” to protect her son and to have the repairs carried out.
The inquest provides a forum to examine whether the council’s handling of the tenancy and its repairs process met its legal duties to keep the property safe, particularly given the family’s disclosures about the child’s vulnerabilities.
Timeline
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Family moved into top-floor flat at Jacobs House | February 2023 |
| Child found after fall | 16 May 2024 |
| Inquest testimony reported | August 2026 |
Local reaction and wider concerns
Residents in the area said the case had brought back fears about maintenance standards in some council properties. One neighbour said safety on high-rise blocks remained a top priority for local people.
The case also raises broader questions about how councils handle vulnerable families: whether pressing safety problems are prioritised, how tenants are advised about accepting properties in poor condition, and whether disability-related information is adequately acted on by housing officers.
What happens next
The inquest will continue to determine the full circumstances of the death and whether any preventative steps could have averted the tragedy. Coroners can make recommendations to prevent future deaths where systemic or procedural failures are identified.
- Family moved into the 15th-floor flat in February 2023.
- The child was found dead at around 6am on 16 May 2024.
- The mother says she repeatedly reported faulty window restrictors and her son’s autism to the council before the incident.
This hearing is not only about one family’s loss but also about how risks in social housing are identified and addressed. At street level in Plaistow, people I spoke to urged clearer accountability and quicker, verifiable action when safety issues are reported by tenants.
The coroner’s findings, when published, will be closely watched by tenants, campaign groups and landlords across London for what they may say about responsiveness and safeguarding in council housing.
