Tragic Fall Claims Pregnant Mother’s Life, But Baby Miraculously Survives

Emma Atkinson, a woman in her 30s, tragically fell 90 feet from the ninth floor of Shakespeare Towers in Leeds, resulting in her death, via the Daily Record. Her baby, named Posie, was delivered five weeks premature with a fractured leg and is currently receiving critical care. The incident occurred on Tuesday morning while Emma was visiting her father.

Emma’s aunt and uncle, Ken and Rita Hanlan, have emphasized that the fall was an accident. According to Ken, Emma had leaned out of the window to smoke a cigarette when she lost her balance. “The flat she was in when she fell was her father’s, and we have been told it was an accident,” he explained. “Her father said she opened the window to have a smoke and fell out. He insists it was an accident”, according to the Daily Mail.

Investigators are currently examining whether Emma opened the lounge window too far, which may have led to the fall. Residents have expressed shock and concern about the safety features of the windows, questioning why the safety catches could be overridden, allowing the windows to open more widely. Dave Capper, a resident of the high-rise for 26 years, noted that this was not the first time someone had fallen from the building. “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 halfway. It’s not very safe, really.”

While rumors circulated about Emma’s state of mind, her friends insisted she was excited about becoming a mother again and was looking forward to becoming a grandmother for the first time, as her 17-year-old daughter Demi is also expecting.

Despite the tragedy, there is hope for baby Posie. Emma’s uncle Ken shared the positive update that Posie, who weighed just 4 pounds at birth, is now feeding after suffering an internal bleed. “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.”

An off-duty doctor, Nana Larbi, who lives in the same tower, provided vital first aid to Emma and her unborn child. Her husband, Israel Larbi, recounted how his wife, a doctor at Leeds General Infirmary, assisted with CPR following the fall. “She’s not taken it too well. The whole thing has been traumatizing for her.”

Tributes have continued to pour in for Emma, with flowers and notes laid outside the high-rise. Emma’s daughter, Demi, left a heartfelt message: “Rest in paradise mama. You were one of a kind. I miss you more than anything already.” Friends described Emma as “bubbly” and “outgoing,” highlighting her love for her children.

Emma’s final Facebook post showed her proudly displaying her baby bump, expressing excitement for her daughter’s arrival. West Yorkshire Police have confirmed that there were “no suspicious circumstances” surrounding Emma’s death, and the coroner’s office is now handling the case.