Leeds flats safety leaflets plan 'bare minimum' after boy's death - family

Exodus Eyob died after falling from a seventh floor flat in Leeds in July 2022

Window safety leaflets may be issued by a council following the death of a one-year-old boy who fell from a seventh floor flat, an inquest has heard.

Exodus Eyob climbed on a bed under a window and fell from the flats in Saville Green, Leeds, on 2 July 2022.

His family said Leeds City Council's plan to issue leaflets was the "absolute bare minimum" it could do.

At a hearing on Wednesday, senior coroner Kevin McLoughlin recorded a conclusion of accidental death.

Exodus's mother Birikti Berihew said at the inquest that she had repeatedly asked the council for a cable lock for the window, like one she had seen in a neighbour's flat.

Wakefield Coroners' Court heard that the key-controlled cable locks, which restrict how far a window can open, were given to residents as part of a campaign in 2011 after the death of a six-year-old boy at another tower block in the area.

But Mr McLoughlin said extra locks were "not the answer" and that a cable lock would have "duplicated" two safety measures already installed on the window.

Exodus fell from the window at Saville Green, Leeds, the inquest heard

The court heard the windows had a key locking system and restrictors which stopped them from being opened more than a few inches.

However, these had been "voluntarily and deliberately disengaged" at some point before Exodus's death, the inquest was told.

Mr McLoughlin declined to issue a prevention of future deaths report over the one-year-old's death.

"One painful lesson which I hope will be drawn to the attention of people living with children in properties of any height is that window restrictors are there for a purpose," he said.

"It is important not to override restrictors except under controlled conditions for a brief period of time to clean the outside surface."

'Adorable brother'

Speaking after the hearing, Exodus's 19-year-old sister Reem Semere said she still believed a cable lock would have prevented her "adorable" brother's death.

"We hoped there would be a campaign or measure put in place after my baby brother's death, but instead in the inquest Leeds City Council has said they are going to send window safety leaflets to residents," she said.

"I think we can all agree this is the absolute bare minimum and extremely ineffective in preventing any future deaths as the risk still remains."

Ms Semere said she was concerned people might not see the leaflets, or be able to read them if they did not speak English.

Ms Berihew, speaking using a Tigrinya interpreter, had told the inquest she had raised concerns about window safety "many times" to the council.

However, she agreed that the language barrier could have been an issue.

The inquest heard the council only had a record of Ms Berihew complaining about the flat's windows once.

Councillor Jess Lennox, Leeds City Council's executive member for housing, said: "We in particular note the coroner's comments on the importance of education and awareness with regard to window safety and the proper use of restrictors.

"To this end, we will continue our ongoing work to communicate the correct advice to all residents in our high-rise buildings."