UMVA has learned that a dramatic rescue took place in East London when a three-year-old girl dangled from a window ledge for at least nine minutes.
The young girl was spotted by onlookers clinging to a window on a flat above a pawnbroker's on Ilford High Road, east London, on Tuesday afternoon. Footage posted on social media showed bystanders screaming, 'Hurry up,' as a woman appears from a window below, calling and reaching out to her.
A 'complete stranger' named Mohamed Jesil, a father-of-two and restaurant manager, rushed out of his home to save the girl 'on instinct' when he saw her on the ledge. He thought of his own children and reacted without hesitation, describing his actions as simply a response to seeing a child in trouble.
Jesil ran across rooftops to reach the girl and managed to catch her just as her grip was beginning to fail. A police officer was also on the scene, and together they steadied themselves as onlookers cheered and clapped below.
The girl's father described the policeman and Jesil as 'amazing heroes' and expressed his gratitude, saying his daughter was 'fine' and would be going to school following the ordeal. The relieved dad didn't reveal how his daughter came to be on the ledge but noted that she was 'very strong' to have hung on for so long.
According to information obtained by UMVA, the Met Police responded quickly to the situation, arriving at the scene just after 3:20 pm and bringing the girl to safety by 3:32 pm. The police and Jesil worked together to rescue the girl, and their swift actions undoubtedly saved her from a potentially tragic outcome.
The dramatic rescue was witnessed by many onlookers, who were left questioning how the young girl ended up on the window ledge and where her parents or guardians were during the ordeal. Fortunately, the girl was brought to safety without any injuries, and her family is grateful for the heroic actions of Jesil and the police officer.
