Protest at housing association in King's Cross after baby death
The death of a 15-week-old baby who lived in a Camden flat, managed by housing association Notting Hill Genesis, led to a protest outside its headquarters on Friday.Akram Mohammed died in February and his parents believe damp and mould contributed to their son's death. They said "no one helped" from the housing association, after repeated requests for repairs.Patrick Franco from the organisation said: "We know this is a complex situation and will continue working with the relevant authorities as they conduct their investigations."An inquest, opened by St Pancras Coroner's Court, into the baby's death has been adjourned and is due to conclude later this year.
Akram's mother, Aiat Mohammed, described her son as a "happy, playful baby". His father, Abdushafi, says he hoped for him to become a doctor. In late February, their baby son started struggling to breathe. His father took him in his arms and ran to hospital. Mrs Mohammed said: "I was trying to tell myself everything is going to be OK. I was trying to calm myself."There were more than eight doctors and more than five nurses around him."Akram's parents believe "longstanding mould and damp" in their flat contributed to their son's death. Akram's father said: "The house was mouldy and damp and I tried to explain to them many times but nobody helped."The coroner has yet to conclude the cause of death.
Paperwork seen by the BBC shows repeated requests from the family, and the charity the Pillion Trust, to address damp and mould in the flat.After the family launched a complaint in 2024 to the housing association, Notting Hill Genesis admitted their "standards have fallen for not being more responsive" and offered £175 in compensation for a late response, lack of communication and for being chased on damp and mould repairs.Photos taken by the family's legal team a week after Akram's death show mould and damp present in the one-bedroom home. Mrs Mohammed said Akram struggled with the conditions."If they just fixed those issues maybe he had a chance to live," she said."When he was just months old I started to notice he had difficulty breathing. He could (would) breathe very, very loudly. But eventually the problems got bigger and bigger."She added: "Nobody would stay there. Even for a minute. You couldn't breathe there. You would feel it in the air. The air was mouldy."
The family lawyer Mark McGhee said they have been told by the coroner's officer the pathology report stated the medical cause of death was acute pneumonia due to a late-onset Group B Strep infection and dilated cardiomyopathy, a type of heart muscle disease. The BBC has not independently seen the document. Akram's mother said: "We all know a person with pneumonia can't live in a mouldy house."The family's solicitors launched a disrepair claim against Notting Hill Genesis, and an independent survey of the flat, carried out by TLB Services found the housing association failed in its duty to ensure the property was "fit for human habitation".It found mould in every room and "defective" extractor fans in the kitchen and bathroom were "causing excessive airborne moisture".The survey advised £3,055 of repairs to be carried out, including washing the mould and fixing the extractor fans.Notting Hill Genesis said they conducted a thorough mould wash following reports of damp and mould in April 2024, which removed mould from the home.It added, in October 2024, the month prior to Akram's birth, Mr and Mrs Mohammed reported further issues of damp and mould, which the housing association was working to resolve.
Mrs Mohammed said: "I would say my baby's death was avoidable."All we wanted was a healthy environment to live [in]."Akram's parents said they have been supported by the school, of their two other children, and charities since their son's death.Mr Franco, the chief executive of Notting Hill Genesis, added: "We are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of Akram Mohammed. "We will continue to support the family in any way we can during this difficult time."No determination has been made by HM Coroner as to the cause of Akram's death, and it would therefore be inappropriate to comment further or to speculate at this time."A Camden Council spokesperson said: "Akram's death is a tragedy and our thoughts are with his family at what is a very sad time. "We have been in regular contact with Notting Hill Genesis who assure us they are working to identify a suitable home for the family."
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