Five-year-old who died falling from Sheffield hotel named as Mohammed Munib Majeedi
A five-year-old boy who died after a fall from a hotel window in Sheffield was an Afghan refugee.
It is believed he had only just arrived in the UK after fleeing Afghanistan, he has been named as Mohammed Munib Majeedi by South Yorkshire Police following formal identification by his family.
The Refugee Council has now called for a review of accommodation offered to those fleeing the Taliban following the tragedy. He died after falling from a window, believed to be on the ninth floor, at the Sheffield Metropolitan Hotel on Blonk Street at 2.30pm on Wednesday, August 18.A fellow refugee staying at the hotel said the boy arrived in Sheffield four days before the incident after escaping the advances of the Taliban in his homeland.
It's understood his father worked at the British Embassy.
Blonk Street was closed for several hours after the incident as police vehicles flooded the scene.The boy is thought to have fallen from a window at the back of the hotel onto the NCP Blonk Street car park.“I heard a big loud noise and then a couple of seconds later I heard the mother screaming, ‘my boy!’” said one of the guests.It is understood the boy was staying in the hotel with his father, mother, two brothers and two sisters.
Enver Solomon, chief executive of the Refugee Council, said: "This a terrible tragedy and our thoughts are with the family who have gone through so much trauma and suffering to reach the UK.
"It is vital the Home Office carry out an urgent investigation into what has happened so steps can be taken to quickly learn lessons.
"We don't know the details of the incident but it is imperative that families who come from Afghanistan are given all the support they need and housed in appropriate accommodation. They are vulnerable and often very traumatised."
Cllr Terry Fox, Leader of Sheffield City Council, said:
South Yorkshire Police confirmed his family are being supported by specially trained officers.On Tuesday, Sheffield City Council confirmed it was supporting the Home Office’s Relocation Scheme for those who have supported UK troops in Afghanistan and now find their lives at risk.“Sheffield is a City of Sanctuary,” said co-operative executive members Alison Teal and Paul Wood, who are responsible for Sheffield’s response to the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan.“We are seeing terrible scenes in Afghanistan and as a city we will not simply stand by when people are in crisis.”
A Government spokesperson said: “We are extremely saddened by the tragic death of a child at a hotel in Sheffield.
“The police are providing support to the family while the investigation continues and we cannot comment further at this time.”
South Yorkshire Police say enquiries are in place to establish what occurred, but said the death is not being treated as suspicious.