Inquest Hears Mother Died from Injuries After Fall from Tower Block

An inquest opening has revealed that a heavily pregnant woman, who fell from the ninth floor of a tower block, died due to multiple injuries. The inquest was informed that Emma Atkinson, a 38-year-old mother of five, was visiting her father at his flat in Shakespeare Towers, Burmantofts, Leeds, on 22 October when the incident occurred. Ms. Atkinson’s baby survived the fall and was subsequently delivered in hospital, where it is believed to be in a critical condition. Area Coroner Oliver Longstaff stated that Ms. Atkinson was pronounced dead at 12:00 BST. He added that an inquest into her death would be necessary, with a date yet to be determined. Mr. Longstaff commented: “It appears Emma Atkinson died at Leeds General Infirmary where she had been brought, having fallen from her father’s flat on the ninth floor below to the ground beneath.” The inquest heard that Ms. Atkinson was identified by her father, David Atkinson. Mr. Longstaff further conveyed: “I would like to take this opportunity to express to Ms Atkinson’s family and friends my sincere condolences upon their loss.” West Yorkshire Police had previously confirmed that Ms. Atkinson was in the late stages of pregnancy and that her baby was still receiving critical care after being delivered in hospital. An online fundraising page, established following Ms. Atkinson’s death, has collected over £6,000 in one week. The organizer of the fundraiser wrote on the page that Ms. Atkinson was “our beautiful friend.” They also added that she had “the biggest heart” and would have “done anything to help anyone.” The original text included prompts to listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North, or submit potential news stories. The content concluded with a copyright notice for 2024 BBC, stating all rights are reserved, and a disclaimer that the BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites, along with information about their approach to external linking.