Pregnant Mother Dies in Leeds Fall as Baby Survives Miraculously

(The Pregnant mother. Photo Credit: Metro)

A pregnant mother died after falling approximately 90 feet from a tower block, though her unborn baby remarkably survived, an inquest heard.

Emma Atkinson, 38, fell from the ninth floor of Shakespeare Towers in Leeds while visiting her father.

Her daughter, named Posie, was delivered in hospital approximately thirty minutes later, born five weeks premature, and survived against considerable odds.

Emma could not be saved and was pronounced dead at the scene following the incident at Shakespeare Towers in 2024.

The inquest heard that Emma had requested a cigarette from her father, David Atkinson, during her visit that morning.

The mother of five sat in a chair near the window and opened it fully until the pane rested horizontally, according to her father’s account.

He recalled asking her to close the window due to the cold before hearing her say she was leaving, then turning to see her going through the window. He described the moment to Wakefield Coroner’s Court as feeling like a nightmare.

Devastated, David rushed downstairs, where an off-duty doctor residing in the building provided critical first aid to Emma and her unborn child.

She was transported to hospital but had sustained catastrophic and unsurvivable injuries. Medical staff at Leeds General Infirmary were nonetheless able to save her baby.

The inquest heard that Emma had been diagnosed with emotional unstable personality disorder and had previously attempted to take her own life on two occasions.

In her final social media post before her death, she had shared a photograph showing her pregnancy, expressing happiness about expecting a daughter and confirming she was due in ten weeks at the time.

Friends released balloons outside the tower block the following day as a tribute. Emma’s daughter Demi left a heartfelt message describing her mother as one of a kind and expressing that she was too special for this world.

The coroner concluded there was insufficient evidence to determine whether the death resulted from suicide or accident, recording a narrative conclusion stating that Emma died from a self-inflicted act, though her probable intent could not be established either way.

Emma’s family, present at the inquest, described her as having been thrilled about the impending arrivals of her daughter and grandson, insisting she would never have left her children and that her life centred entirely around them.

If you have been affected by issues raised in this report, the Samaritans can be reached free on 116123.