Mystery deepens over pregnant mum’s 90ft fall from tower block to her death – as family warn ‘this isn’t the first time’
A HEAVILY pregnant mum killed in a tower block plunge died “accidentally”, her family says – as they warn “this isn’t the first time”.
Emma Atkinson fell 90ft from the ninth floor of Shakespeare Towers in Leeds on Tuesday morning.
Her baby, who has been named Posie, was miraculously delivered in hospital five-weeks premature with a fractured leg and is now receiving critical care.
Emma’s aunt and uncle Ken and Rita Hanlan have now insisted it was an accident during a visit to see her dad.
Emma, in her 30s, had leaned out of the window to smoke a cigarette when she tragically fell, according to her loved ones.
Uncle Ken told MailOnline: “The flat she was in when she fell was her father’s and we have been told it was an accident.
“Her father said she opened the window to have a smoke and fell out. He insists it was an accident.”
Investigators are now looking into whether Emma opened the lounge window fully and leaned too far – with her dad unable to stop the horror.
Residents in the high-rise told of their shock at the death and questioned why the windows had safety catches that could be over-ridden, allowing them to be opened more widely.
Dave Capper, 66, who has lived at Shakespeare Tower for 26 years, said there had been a previous death from height at the complex.
He said: “The windows do have safety features on them. You can only open them so far.
“But there’s a little catch you can press in and they will open to halfway.
“You’d have to be a small person but you could get out. It’s not very safe, really.
“It’s not the first time someone has fallen from a window here about five or six years ago.
“I didn’t know Emma personally but it is tragic.”
Rumours circulated this week that the mum-of-five was depressed and took her own life.
Her closest pals however said she was excited to have a baby again and become a grandma for the first time as her daughter Demi, 17, was expecting.
Emma’s uncle Ken also gave the good news that 4lbs baby Posie is now feeding after suffering an internal bleed.
He added: “Little Posie is feeding now, she is taking milk, which has been a great relief.
“She had an internal bleed but that is clearing now. She has a fracture to her leg and they are going to splint that sometime next week.
“She is the one good thing that has come out of this tragedy. She is such a little fighter, she was only 4lbs when she was delivered but she’s doing well, which is amazing.”
It comes after an off-duty doctor living in the 17-storey tower helped provide vital first aid to Emma and her unborn baby following the horror fall.
Rest in paradise mama. I miss you more than anything already
Demi
Israel Larbi, 37, told how his wife Nana, 33, a doctor at Leeds General Infirmary, was left shaken by the tragedy.
Mr Larbi, who lives in the flat next door to the one from which Emma fell, said: “She’s a doctor. She was at home when it happened.
“She heard a noise on the corridor – a lot of shouting. She looked through the doorhole and saw the man who lives next door.
“He was pressing the lift. She opened the door and he told her that his daughter had fallen.
“So she went in the lift to join him downstairs. She went down to assist with the CPR with the medics.
“She’s not taken it too well. The whole thing has been traumatising for her.
“She called me today to say she needed to come home from work.”
Emma was tragically pronounced dead at the scene on Shakespeare Approach in the Burmantofts area of the city.
Arriving home from work, Nana said she was too shaken to relive the tragedy, but said: “I just did what I could”.
‘PERFECT’ MUM
Flowers and tributes continued to be laid outside the high-rise this week.
Emma’s daughter Demi left a message to her “perfect” mum.
It read: “Rest in paradise mama. You was one of a kind. I miss you more than anything already, 2 perfect for this world.
“I love you forever. Love your girl.”
Another note from a friend added: “My Em. You was definitely too perfect for this world.
“I promise I’ll always make your sure babies are ok and looked after. I miss you so much.”
Another card said: “If only your new [sic] how much you was loved”.
One pal arriving to lay flowers described her as “bubbly”, “outgoing” and “a friend to everyone”.
She said: “She lit up a room. She always bounced in and bounced back out.
“She loved her kids, absolutely. It’s just tragic.
“It is a miracle that her baby survived. She’s obviously strong like her mum has been all her life.”
Friends also released balloons from outside the tower block on Wednesday.
Emma’s final Facebook post, from a month ago, showed her posing in a mirror and showing off her baby bump while a child hugs her legs.
She confirmed in the comments that she was due in 10 weeks at the time.
She wrote: “It’s a girl, couldn’t be happier.”
Cops at the time said there were “no suspicious circumstances” in Emma’s death.
A West Yorkshire Police spokesperson said: “At 10.24am, police were contacted by the ambulance service who had been called to an incident where a woman had fallen from height at Shakespeare Towers, in Shakespeare Approach, Burmantofts.
“The woman died at the scene as result of her injuries.
“There were no suspicious circumstances and the Coroner’s Office has been informed.
“The woman, aged in her thirties, was in the late stage of pregnancy and her baby was delivered at hospital after the incident and is receiving critical care.”
Wakefield coroner’s court confirmed it has received a file in relation to Emma’s death.