A coroner concluded that 15-week-old Akram Mohammed was not killed as a result of the damp conditions in his family’s flat. Crane Park Houses, a London Borough of Camden housing association property, in Camden, north London. Unfortunately, in February we lost Akram. His parents want you to know that the mouldy conditions in their home were a direct cause of their son’s tragic death.
At the inquest in St Pancras Coroner’s Court, Assistant Coroner Edwin Buckett said his conclusions. He concluded that Akram died from unrelated medical conditions, in particular Group B Streptococcus, pneumonia, and Vitamin D deficiency. These damp and mouldy conditions were recognised by the coroner, contributing to Akram’s death. He said these issues were not responsible for Akram’s death.
In his lungs, a pathologist found massive fungal growths. These fungi were not a match to the mold that was growing in his family’s apartment. This finding strongly reinforced the coroner’s determination that Akram’s death was due to health complications not related to his housing situation.
A few weeks before Akram was born, his mother, Aiat Mohammed, became infected with Group B Streptococcus. Sadly, she never got the care she needed for the infection. As a result, the infection was transmitted to Akram, playing a role in his eventual medical complications. Group B Streptococcus affects around 500 babies per year in the UK.
In comments after the coroner’s verdict, Akram’s father, Abdushafi Mohammed, said he was happy with the outcome. The family had earlier been seen camping out, chained-up and protesting Notting Hill Genesis, the housing association that owned their flat. They went on to demand accountability for the health impacts of their substandard living conditions which they said led to the death of their son.
Following the tragedy, Patrick Franco, chief executive of Notting Hill Genesis, offered sympathy to the Mohammed family. He stated:
“Our hearts go out to Mr and Mrs Mohammed on the devastating loss of baby Akram. Our commitment remains to provide all the support we can to the family and find them a permanent home that meets their needs now and into the future.”
The hearing ended on solemn acknowledgement of the family’s tragedy. It drew attention to the lack of equity focused measures regarding housing conditions in the area. The case has drawn attention to the importance of safe living environments and adequate healthcare during pregnancy, particularly concerning untreated infections like Strep B.
