Toddler who died after falling from height tumbled from a window on the top floor flat of an 'HMO used for emergency housing'

Daily Mail​

20-05-2025

A two-year-old boy who died after falling from a height fell from the top floor of an HMO used for emergency housing, neighbours have said.
Police and paramedics were called on Sunday to an address in Forest Hill, near Lewisham, south east London.
The incident happened on Wynell Road, with emergency services alerted shortly after 12.15pm. An air ambulance was scrambled to the scene.
The toddler was treated at the address before being taken to hospital but sadly he died from his injuries.
A police investigation has been launched to establish what happened, but the toddler's death is currently being treated as unexplained.
Today neighbours told how the boy plummeted from a top floor flat in a property specially reserved for emergency housing.
A mother who lives opposite the house said: 'As soon as we heard the air ambulance we ran outside, the police already had sheets up and everything was covered but I got a glimpse of them doing chest compression before they put them in the ambulance.
'We first heard someone got shot.
'I've never met the boy or the woman who I think is his mum, I'd never even seen her, but because it's an HMO there are always people coming and going - I think people are housed there for emergencies.
'The windows in that building are not safe, they open outwards and it would be so easy to lean against them and fall.
'Our neighbour's lad who lives near there came and told us he'd seen the little boy lying in the garden.
'That house should not be used for kids, someone needs to take responsibility for that but I don't think anyone will.
'I just can't believe this, that poor woman, I don't think I could ever go back in there if my child had fallen.
'I had never seen the woman before Sunday, but I want her to know we're thinking of her, we care about her.'
On Tuesday, flowers had been left on the wall outside a property where the two-year old is believed to have died.
The road, a quiet residential street in Forest Hill, south east London, was filled with emergency services vehicles when the incident occurred on Sunday.
One pensioner said: 'The first I heard of it was the air ambulance, it landed on the bowling club lawn I think.
'Then my neighbour told me this morning that a little boy had died, it's such a tragedy.'
Another woman, who lives near the site of the fall, said the boy had apparently fallen from the window of a flat.
She said: 'On Sunday I was in my garden and the air ambulance flew over very nearby.
'It landed somewhere and I ran out onto the road to find out what had happened.
'Someone said a child had fallen, but we didn't know his age or anything at that time.
'I came back in because it was all so chaotic and I felt in the way.
'My neighbour came over later and told me the little boy had fallen from a window, I don't know what floor it was but it's just horrible.
'I have been crying for the last two days about it, I just keep thinking of the parents, they're going to have to deal with the loss of that little life for the rest of their lives.'
A Met Police spokeswoman said: 'On Sunday at 12.17pm police were called following reports that a child had fallen from height.
'Met officers attended the scene alongside paramedics from the London Ambulance Service who treated a two-year-old boy at the scene before taking him to hospital.
'Sadly, despite the best efforts of the medical staff, he later died in hospital.
'His family are currently being supported by specialist officers.
'The death is being treated as unexpected and remains under investigation. There has been no arrests made.
'Enquiries into the circumstances are on-going.'
A spokesperson for London Ambulance Service said: 'We were called at 12.11pm on Sunday 18 May to reports of an incident in Wynell Road, SE23.
'We sent resources including ambulance crews, an incident response officer and London's air ambulance.
'We treated a child at the scene and took them to hospital. Sadly, despite our efforts they died.'