A heavily pregnant woman in her 30s accidentally fell from a Leeds apartment building tower on Tuesday, October 22 and died, but emergency responders were able to deliver her baby, who remains in critical condition.
Emma Atkinson fell approximately 90 feet from Shakespeare Towers in the Burmantofts area of Leeds, England, according to West Yorkshire Police. The incident occurred around 10:24 a.m. when emergency services received calls about a fall from the building.
Paramedics rushed to the scene but were unable to save Atkinson, who has four other children. Her baby, named Posie, was delivered five weeks prematurely and immediately transferred to intensive care.
Israel Larbi, 37, who lives next door to where the incident happened, said his wife Nana, 33, a medic at Leeds General Infirmary and off-duty at the time, rushed to try and help Emma, and attempted to perform CPR at the scene. She later shared that she was deeply affected by the incident.
The 17-story Shakespeare Towers, owned by Leeds City Council, had recently undergone renovations. The building’s safety features include windows that open only partially, according to resident reports.
A resident on the 14th floor reported hearing a loud noise followed by screaming. Police established a cordon around the building while emergency services responded to the scene.
West Yorkshire Police confirmed in a statement that there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding the incident. The case has been referred to the Coroner’s Office for further investigation.
Friend Martyne Taiwo described Atkinson as “bubbly” and “full of life.” A GoFundMe campaign has been established to support the family, raising over $7,700.
Medical staff continue to monitor the newborn’s condition in the hospital’s critical care unit. The child’s older sister, Demi, 17, remains by the baby’s side.
Demi shared on Facebook on October 22 that her mother had tragically “gained her wings and joined heaven this morning.”
A small bouquet of flowers was noticed leaning against a bollard outside Shakespeare Towers, honoring Atkinson, who was only weeks away from giving birth to her fifth child.