Pregnant Mother Dies in Leeds Tower Block Fall, Baby Survives
Emma Atkinson, 38, fell 90ft; police rule out third-party involvement as coroner returns open narrative verdict.
Image: Eddie Pollard / AI
Callum Smith
A pregnant mother of five died after falling 90ft from a Leeds tower block in October 2024, though her baby was delivered alive.
West Yorkshire Police found no third-party involvement or suspicious circumstances in Ms Atkinson's death. She reportedly faced stress over a missed court date for a shoplifting charge and had a history of mental health struggles.
Her family, however, insists she was "so excited" about the impending births of her daughter and grandson. They assert she "would never have left her kids"; her "life revolved around her children."
Her life revolved around her children.
David Atkinson, Ms Atkinson's father, recounted her request for cigarettes before she sat on the back of a chair. He claims she then inquired how to open the window.
He states she unhooked the safety catches and opened it fully, telling him she was "just getting some air" before declaring, "I’m off," and going headfirst out of the window.
Detective Constable Emily Parnham stated that Ms Atkinson "did not appear to be distressed" on CCTV footage as she fell. The coroner concluded Emma Atkinson died from a self-inflicted act.
An open narrative verdict was returned; her probable intent could not be ascertained either way. Naomi McLoughlin, the coroner, noted, "I note the deliberate act of removing the safety catches from the window ... and the manner of her falling, captured by the CCTV."
Ms McLoughlin also acknowledged that Ms Atkinson was "a much loved woman by all who knew her." David Atkinson believes Emma went to the flat with the intention of taking her own life.
The family expressed devastation and confusion. They stated they "don’t understand why she did what she did."