Girl, 4, Dies After Fall From Tower Block in Barking

A four-year-old girl died Saturday after falling from a tower block in Barking, East London, the Metropolitan Police said, according to the BBC. Officers were called to an address on St Paul's Road at about 11:00 BST following reports that a child had fallen from height. Paramedics from the London Ambulance Service gave first aid at the scene before the girl was taken to a hospital, where she later died from her injuries, police said.

What happened on St Paul's Road in Barking?

Police and ambulance crews responded to the address on St Paul's Road in Barking at about 11:00 BST on Saturday morning after reports of a child falling from height, the Metropolitan Police said, as reported by the BBC. London Ambulance Service paramedics treated the child at the scene before she was transported to a hospital. She was later pronounced dead from her injuries, according to the force. The Met has not released further details about the building, the floor involved, or the circumstances that preceded the fall.

Is the death being treated as suspicious?

A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said the incident is not currently believed to be suspicious, while confirming that officers are still examining how the fall occurred. "An investigation into the circumstances surrounding this tragic incident is ongoing," the spokesperson said. "However, at this time, the incident is not believed to be suspicious." The spokesperson added: "Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with the child's family and loved ones at this incredibly difficult time." The force did not name the child or provide details about her family, consistent with standard practice in cases involving children.

What are police asking the public to do?

The Metropolitan Police is appealing for anyone with information about the incident to come forward. The force asked members of the public to call 101 and quote the case reference CAD 2424/24OCT when reporting any relevant information. No additional tip lines, online portals, or deadlines were specified in the police statement carried by the BBC.

By the numbers

• 4: age of the girl who died, according to the Metropolitan Police.
• 11:00 BST: approximate time Saturday that police and ambulance crews were called to St Paul's Road, Barking.
• CAD 2424/24OCT: the case reference number police asked witnesses to quote when calling 101.

What happens next in the investigation?

The Metropolitan Police said its inquiry into the circumstances of the fall remains active, though investigators have not described any change in the preliminary assessment that the death is not suspicious. The force has not said whether it expects to refer the case to a coroner, nor has it indicated a timeline for concluding its review. Falls from height involving young children in residential buildings in England and Wales are typically examined by both police and local coroners to establish the sequence of events, though the Met's statement to the BBC did not address coronial proceedings directly.

Barking, part of East London, sits within the Metropolitan Police's jurisdiction, and the force's statement did not identify the housing association, landlord, or management company responsible for the tower block where the fall occurred. The BBC's report, citing police, is the only account of the incident published so far, and no other outlet or official body has issued a separate statement as of this writing.

What is known about the family and the building so far?

Police have not released the identity of the girl, her family's relationship to the property, or whether anyone else was present at the time of the fall. The Metropolitan Police's public statement focused on the emergency response, the time of the call, and the determination that the incident is not currently treated as suspicious. Any further findings from the ongoing investigation, including a possible coroner's inquest, have not yet been made public.

The Metropolitan Police can be reached at 101 for non-emergency reports related to this case, with CAD 2424/24OCT as the reference number. The force's original statement, along with further updates as they become available, can be found through the Metropolitan Police Service.