‘She will never be normal again’: Parents of girl, six, crushed by a falling fireplace say they complained to landlord about hazard but nothing was done – as report shows poor housing costs NHS £1.4billion a year
- Alexa-Leigh Blakemore, six, rushed to hospital after accident on September 10
- The pupil suffered a bruise on the brain and has been in intensive care ever since
- Her parents say they had complained to their landlord about the loose fireplace
- It comes as report reveals substandard housing is costing the NHS £1.4bn a year
The parents of a girl crushed by a falling fireplace while playing in her living room say they complained to their landlord about the hazard but nothing was done.
Alexa-Leigh Blakemore, six, was rushed to hospital in Liverpool after suffering serious head injuries from the accident on September 10.
The primary school pupil was placed in an induced coma, from which she has now awoken, and has been in intensive care ever since.
Alexa-Leigh, nicknamed ‘Lexi’ by her parents, sustained a bruise on the brain, lost hearing in one ear and is now blind in one eye.
Doctors cannot tell whether she will walk again or the severity of her brain damage.
Her parents Keiran Blakemore and Elle Williams say they had complained to their landlord about the loose fireplace in their living room but nothing was done.
The pair opened up about their anger and devastation in an interview with ITV News, saying their daughter has been ‘robbed of her life’.
It comes as a report by the Building Research Establishment (BRE) reveals that substandard housing is costing the NHS £1.4billion a year.
Alexa-Leigh Blakemore (pictured), six, nicknamed ‘Lexi’ by her parents, was rushed to hospital in Liverpool after sustaining serious head injuries from the accident on September 10
Lexi’s father Keiran Blakemore speaking to ITV News Political Correspondent Daniel Hewitt. He said: ‘The landlord didn’t do the job and now, 8 months later, my daughter’s pulled it on herself’
Lexi’s mother, Elle, said: ‘It was horrible, that’s all I can say. It’s heartbreaking.
‘I’m angry. I’m angry and I’m hurting, my daughter’s now been robbed of her life. She had a completely normal life and she’ll never be normal again.’
Elle’s partner and Lexi’s father, Keiran, claims she tripped and reached for the fireplace to gain her balance, causing it to come off the wall.
He said: ‘I’m annoyed that I reported it in April.
‘The landlord just didn’t do the job and now, eight months later, my daughter’s pulled it on herself and injured herself to the point where she’s got brain damage and will never be the same again.’
Keiran continued: ‘She was a happy, normal little girl, who had a following on social media, and now I’ll never see her dance again.’
Merseyside Police said the accident is being investigated and no criminal charges have been made.
Meanwhile, a report by the BRE shows approximately £857million is spent by the NHS on health problems caused by overly cold homes.
Lexi’s mother Elle Williams said: ‘I’m angry. I’m angry and I’m hurting, my daughter’s now been robbed of her life. She had a completely normal life and she’ll never be normal again’
Lexi with mother Elle, father Keiran and little sister Luna-Rae. Keiran said: ‘She was a happy, normal little girl, who had a following on social media, and now I’ll never see her dance again’
The fireplace which fell on Lexi. Her father Keiran claims she tripped and reached for the fireplace to gain her balance, causing it to come off the wall
Around £374 million is spent treating injuries from falls brought about by dangerous conditions, and roughly £38million is contributed towards residents suffering from the effects of damp.
Referring to the report, Health Secretary Sajid Javid said: ‘We have a housing challenge in this country – it’s been longstanding over many years – I was previously the Housing Secretary.
‘We’ve put in place many ways to try and help with that housing challenge. In some parts of the country it’s particularly acute, in London and Cornwall for example.
‘And I think the fact that we’re investing a record amount in affordable homes, the changes to the planning system that have been made, the Help to Buy scheme – this is all part of doing what can be done to help people to have a home, whether they’re renting it or buying it.’
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