Bad decisions were taken by those who should have acted in his best interests
He died after breathing in severe levels of mould in a one-bedroom Rochdale flat, eight days after his second birthday. Awaab Ishak suffered a cardiac arrest, brought on by respiratory failure. His home, which should have been a place of safety and sanctuary, poisoned his tiny body.
He took a photo of it on his phone and showed it to reception at an office for Rochdale Boroughwide Housing , the social landlord which owns and manages properties on the Freehold estate. The inquest heard that a man working in the office told Mr Abdullah he 'would have to paint over it' - but he never said to use specialist anti-mould paint, or gave any other advice.
Damp and mould was already a major issue for hundreds of RBH tenants. The housing association had 600 outstanding mould treatments to carry out when Mark Wrigley took over as disrepair manager in 2019, and he admitted that, for the painting team he oversaw, 'eventually, the mould took over the painting.'
He said: "There may be factors like fuel poverty, age and design of homes, which may make the risk of damp and mould greater... those are known risks and therefore it's important for them to think about their approach to make sure they address those known challenges." Ms Khan said RBH eventually fitted new ventilation in the bathroom and kitchen of the property following Awaab's death, along with a number of other properties on Freehold.
A number of workers who dealt with complaints and contacts from Mr Abdullah gave accounts of where they filed and checked information about the family - with some using CRM, and others using different systems. Disrepair manager Mark Wrigley was made aware of Ms Ridley's letter the day before his inspection, but told court he did not see it.
In 2020, RBH had a policy not to carry out remedial works on properties which were subject to legal claims, until they had secured agreement to the works from the tenant's solicitor. It meant that Mr Wrigley visited Awaab's home on July 14, 2020, to draw up a list of repairs that needed carrying out, but the work could not take place until the green light had been given by Anthony Hodari.
It's not the only lack of communication that was cause for concern either. The coroner also raised concerns about information not being passed on between medical professionals and the family's GP.
United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Coroner rules Awaab Ishak, 2, died after mould not treated at his home'I'm sure I am not alone in asking how does this happen? How in the UK does a two-year-old child die from exposure to mould in his home?' Coroner Joanne Kearsley
Read more »
Awaab Ishak: Mould in flat caused boy's death, coroner rulesTwo-year-old boy Awaab Ishak died after being exposed to mould in his home, with coroner saying this must be “defining moment for housing sector”
Read more »
No apology, massive pay rises - the housing bosses who failed Awaab IshakNo apology, a last minute confession, massive pay rises - the housing bosses who failed Awaab Ishak.
Read more »
'We complained about mould but they didn't help; now our beautiful boy is dead''We complained so many times about mould in our home but they did nothing to help us - now our beautiful Awaab is dead'
Read more »
Boy, 2, died due to black mould in flat 'unfit for humans', inquest findsAwaab Ishak celebrated his second birthday just a week before died from a respiratory condition in December 2020.
Read more »