A pregnant mother ‘deliberately propelled herself’ 90ft to her death from a tower block window, but her unborn baby miraculously survived, an inquest has heard.
Emma Atkinson, 38, fell from the ninth floor of Shakespeare Towers in Leeds while visiting her father on October 22, 2024.
Her daughter, later named Posie, was born five weeks early in hospital and miraculously survived. But Emma was pronounced dead at the scene.
The mother-of-five had asked her father David Atkinson for a cigarette during her visit that morning, an inquest into her death heard.
Mr Atkinson was pleased to see her as she had been ‘missing’ since a baby reveal party on 19 October for her daughter Demi, who was also expecting.
The 38-year-old sat in a chair near the window and opened a pane to the point it was horizontal, her said in a statement summarised at Wakefield Coroner’s Court.
Emma fully opened the window, and when he told her to shut it, she replied ‘don’t worry, I’m just getting some fresh air’.
He then heard her say ‘I’m off’ and he turned to see her legs disappearing out of the window, adding that he thought he was ‘having a nightmare’.
The inquest heard he ran over and saw his daughter on the pavement below.
The father raced to the ground floor where an off-duty doctor, who lived in the block of flats, performed first aid on Emma and her unborn child.
Emma Atkinson, 38, died just a month before her 39th birthday after falling 90ft from a window in the tower block in Leeds, West Yorkshire, on October 22
A large number of floral tributes were left at the tower block after mother-of-five Ms Atkinson’s death
The mother-of-five had asked her father David Atkinson for a cigarette during her visit that morning, an inquest into her death heard (Pictured the baby with her sister Demi)
Detective Constable Emily Parnham said Ms Atkinson’s fall from the window at 10.20am was captured on CCTV, and she ‘did not appear to be distressed’.
Following the 90ft fall, the mother was rushed to Leeds General Infirmary. However, she had sustained ‘catastrophic and unsurvivable injuries’.
But doctors managed to save her then-newborn daughter’s life, who arrived by an emergency Caesarean section.
Emma had previously tried to take her own life twice and had been diagnosed with an emotionally unstable personality disorder, the inquest was told.
Her daughter Demi said: ‘She was an amazing mum. She lived for her children. There’s not another woman alive who could walk in her boots.
‘I don’t believe she left us like that. She was so excited to be having a baby girl.’
Her mother June Hirst, who attended the inquest via video link from her home in Spain, said she had been due to fly back to England the week Emma jumped.
‘Instead, I got a phone call telling me my daughter had died,’ she wept.
Pathologist Dr Chris Johnson found Emma had died from multiple injuries due to a fall from height.
Assistant Coroner Naomi McLoughlin said Emma was a dedicated mother, who was loved by all who knew her.
‘We can never know why what happened, happened,’ she said.
She said Emma has struggled with mental health over the years and suffered from anxiety and an Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder.
Mrs McLoughlin said she was satisfied Emma propelling herself out of the window was ‘a deliberate act’, but could not be sure she intended to kill herself.
‘On balance, I do not have enough evidence to conclude that on the balance of probability Emma intended to take her own life when she propelled herself through that window,’ she told the inquest.
‘The narrative conclusion that I reach is that Miss Atkinson died from a self-inflicted act, but her probable intent cannot be ascertained either way.’
Before her tragic death, Emma shared a picture showing her baby bump while a child hugged her legs in her final Facebook post.
In the comments, she told family and friends she was due to give birth in ten weeks and that she ‘couldn’t be happier’ to be having a girl.
Following her death, Emma’s heartbroken friends paid tribute to the mother by releasing balloons outside the tower block the following day.
Her daughter Demi described her as ‘too perfect for this world’ in a message she left to her late mother.
‘Rest in paradise mama. You were one of a kind. I miss you more than anything already, too perfect for this world,’ the message read.
It comes as the Daily Mail previously revealed that the baby, who miraculously survived the 90ft plunge, was under the care of her aunt, Lauren Mitchell.
After a month in intensive care, Posie was released to the family of her natural father, Michael Swanson, on a temporary basis.
But, by the family’s own admission, his life was too chaotic to make him a realistic candidate to raise her.
However, the family came to a longer-term arrangement, and his sister Lauren volunteered to take care of her niece alongside her own daughter Lealea, six.
Posie has since officially been in the care of Lauren at her neat semi in Leeds and is thriving, suffering no lasting ill effects from the horrifying fall on October 22, 2024.
Former care worker and beautician Lauren, now a full-time mum, previously told the Daily Mail: ‘Posie is the most beautiful little girl.
‘She is a happy, healthy, thriving little girl and everywhere we go we get comments on how pretty she is, which is lovely.
‘Thankfully there have been no effects from the fall, which is pretty amazing.
‘At first people were amazed that she survived, but as it turned out she didn’t even need to spend all that long in hospital.
‘She’s a good sleeper, she feeds well and is just a joy to be around.’
Lauren went on: ‘When Emma fell from the tower block it was so devastating for the whole family – it was the worst tragedy anyone could imagine, especially as she was close to becoming a mum again.
‘While everyone was coming to terms with her death, we were at the same time thinking, ‘What will happen to Posie?’
‘The solution to that was always going to be found within the family, there was never any consideration given to adoption outside the family.
Lauren added: ‘I never had any doubts at all about being the person responsible for raising her, I just wanted to be able to bring love and happiness and a stable future for her.
Her father David Atkinson asked her to close the window, He told the court that he thought he ‘was having a nightmare’ when he turned to see her ‘feet going out of the window’
‘Lealea is very caring and loving towards her as well, it’s clear that they’re going to have a close relationship as they grow up.
‘We’ve worked closely with social services from day one.
When the time comes, Lauren says she will tell her all about her mum.
She explained: ‘Even now I point out pictures of Emma and say to Posie, ‘That’s your mummy,’ but at the moment she’s too young to understand.
‘The day will come though when she has lots of questions and I’m prepared for that, I will tell her all about her mum and that she was a loved little girl.
‘I have fantastic support from my family and all my friends, many who have children of their own. Emma’s family knows they are welcome to come and see Posie whenever they want.
‘Emma and I were friends, we got on really well and I hope that she’d be pleased that Posie is safe and cared for in a home full of love.’
For confidential support, call Samaritans on 116 123, visit samaritans.org or visit www.thecalmzone.net/get-support
