Pregnant mum who died after falling 90ft from tower block ‘had to be identified by dad in hospital following horror’
A PREGNANT mum who died after falling from a tower block had to be identified by her dad in hospital, an inquest heard today.
Emma Atkinson, 38, plunged 90ft from the ninth floor of Shakespeare Towers in Leeds while visiting her dad last Tuesday.
Her baby, who has been named Posie, was delivered in hospital five-weeks premature but miraculously appears to be recovering.
Tragically Emma couldn’t be saved and was declared dead at the scene following the horror.
An inquest heard today how Emma’s dad David Atkinson had to identify his daughter’s body in hospital.
Assistant coroner Oliver Longstaff, opening the inquest, said: “It appears that Emma Atkinson died on October 22 at Leeds General Infirmary, where she had been brought after having fallen from her father’s flat on the ninth floor of a tower block to the floor beneath.
“A provisional cause of death has been recorded as 1a – multiple injuries, due to 1b – a fall from height.
“Clearly, this provisional cause of death gives rise to the suspicion that Miss Atkinson’s death will not be found not to be natural.”
A full inquest was adjourned until a date to be fixed later this year.
The horror unfolded last Tuesday morning as the mum reportedly leaned out the window to smoke and fell out.
Investigators are now probing whether Emma, who was pregnant with her fifth child, opened the lounge window fully and leaned too far.
An off-duty doctor living in the tower block provided vital first aid to Emma and her unborn baby following the tragedy.
Emma’s uncle Ken gave an update on “little fighter” Posie and revealed the baby is now feeding.
He said: “She had an internal bleed but that is clearing now. She has a fracture to her leg and they are going to splint that sometime next week.
“She is the one good thing that has come out of this tragedy. She is such a little fighter, she was only 4lbs when she was delivered but she’s doing well, which is amazing.”
Tributes have flooded in for Emma, whose had tragically shared a picture showing off her baby bump in a final Facebook post.
Devastated friends also released balloons from outside the tower block on Wednesday.
Emma’s daughter Demi left a message to her “perfect” mum.
It read: “Rest in paradise mama. You was one of a kind. I miss you more than anything already, 2 perfect for this world.
“I love you forever. Love your girl.”
West Yorkshire Police confirmed there were no suspicious circumstances following Emma’s death.