A three-year-old girl was hanging from a third-floor window ledge on Ilford High Road, East London, on August 9 at about 3:20 pm [1, 2]. Police received the report at 3:23 pm and responded quickly [1, 2].
Eyewitnesses said the girl hung on for at least nine minutes before losing her grip [2]. A police officer and a member of the public, Mohamed Jesil, climbed onto rooftops nearby and positioned themselves directly below her to catch her if she fell [1, 2].
When the girl’s hold slipped around 3:32 pm, Jesil and the officer caught her safely, preventing injury [1, 2]. The girl was immediately returned to her mother and was reported to be recovering well with no injuries [1, 2].
Jesil, a restaurant manager of Indian origin and father of five-month-old twins, credited his cricket playing for helping him catch the child. "I played cricket in India so that may have helped with my catching. I just knew I had to concentrate," he said [2].
The girl’s father praised the rescuer and the officer as "amazing heroes" and expressed relief that their daughter was safe. "They were both amazing. They were heroes. We are so relieved. They saved our child," he said [2].
The emergency response and intervention by Jemil and the police officer prevented what could have been a tragic accident on a busy street in East London. The family continues to care for the girl following the incident.
