Miracle Baby Posie Defies Odds After Mother's Tragic 90-Foot Fall
When a heavily pregnant woman fell 90 feet from a ninth-floor window in a Leeds tower block to her death on the concrete below, the survival of her unborn baby seemed nothing short of miraculous. Now, almost eighteen months after those traumatic events, that baby girl continues to astonish everyone by growing into a happy, healthy toddler against all expectations.
The Daily Mail can today reveal the uplifting survival story of little Posie, a child whose very existence touches everyone who meets her. Posie's extraordinary entry into the world occurred in October 2024 when her birth mother, Emma Atkinson, suffered a fatal fall from Shakespeare Towers in Leeds.
Medical Miracle Against All Odds
Ms Atkinson died instantly at the scene, and initially there appeared to be little hope for the child she had been carrying for nearly nine months. Yet, incredibly, the medical team managed to deliver baby Posie alive, despite her having sustained a fractured tibia and a punctured lung during the fall. The story captured national headlines at the time as a genuine medical marvel.
After spending a month in intensive care receiving critical treatment, the infant was released on a temporary basis into the care of her biological father Michael Swanson's family. The extended family then faced the challenging task of determining a longer-term arrangement that would work for everyone involved.
Family Steps Forward to Provide Loving Home
By the family's own admission, Michael's lifestyle was too chaotic to make him a realistic candidate to raise the baby. Fortunately, his younger sister Lauren Mitchell, already a model parent to her own six-year-old daughter Lealea, immediately volunteered to raise Posie alongside her child.
Now Posie is officially in Lauren's care at her tidy semi-detached home in Leeds. Despite the horrifying circumstances of her birth on October 22, 2024, the youngster is thriving remarkably and shows no lasting ill effects from the traumatic fall.
When visited recently, Lauren and her young family had just returned from a trip to Disneyland together and appeared like any other happy family to anyone unaware of Posie's astonishing history.
A Joyful Child Defying Expectations
Former care worker and beautician Lauren, now a full-time mother, shared: '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 continued: '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.'
Building a Stable Future Full of Love
Lauren added with conviction: '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. 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.'
The family has worked closely with social services from the very beginning to ensure everything is properly arranged. When the appropriate time comes, Lauren says she will tell Posie all about her biological mother.
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.'
Ongoing Family Connections and Investigation
At the time of Emma's death, her eldest daughter Demi, then 18, was also pregnant and has since had her son Dolton with partner Alfie. Lauren noted: 'Demi visits regularly, which is nice because her little boy and Posie are a similar age and we're sure they'll be close.'
An inquest will be held into Emma's death in due course, although proceedings are currently 'suspended' according to the West Yorkshire coroner, who confirmed the police investigation into her death has not yet concluded.
Lauren reflected: 'No one will ever know for certain what happened that day but it was awful and something Emma's family will never forget.'
Foul play is not suspected in the tragedy, but different theories have emerged about what caused the fall at the tower block in Leeds's Burmantofts district. Some initially feared Emma may have taken her own life while visiting her father David Atkinson at his ninth-floor flat.
However, family members have also raised the possibility that she died as the result of a tragic accident, perhaps toppling out of the window accidentally. Residents pointed out that latches on the windows could be triggered accidentally, allowing them to open wide enough for a person to fall through.
An inquest opened on October 24, 2024, just two days after the incident. Area Coroner Oliver Longstaff stated that Ms Atkinson was declared dead at 12:00pm and confirmed that an inquest into her death would be required, with a date yet to be fixed.
Mr Longstaff said: 'It appears Emma Atkinson died at Leeds General Infirmary where she had been brought, having fallen from her father's flat on the ninth floor below to the ground beneath.' He added his sincere condolences to Ms Atkinson's family and friends upon their loss.
Tragically, Emma had learned she was about to become a grandmother for the first time just days before her death. A family friend recalled: 'She had a tough life. She had four kids aged between 19 and a toddler and was about to become a mum again at 38. Michael has a past and had spent time in prison but has stayed out of trouble recently and they were excited about having a daughter together. No one can imagine how or why this happened.'
Today, Posie's remarkable survival and subsequent thriving under Lauren's care stands as a testament to human resilience and the power of family love in the face of unimaginable tragedy.
