Mums plea for help’ with mould day before boy died

THE mother of a tragic toddler pleaded for help with their mouldy home the day before he died, an inquest heard.

- STEPHEN TOPPING

Awaab Ishak’s mum made another desperate plea for assistance with their flat to the doctor who treated her twoyear-old son in hospital.

It comes as a doctor told Rochdale Coroners Court that mould was the most plausible, or only, explanation’ for his fatal breathing difficulties.

Awaab lived at the Ilminster block on Rochdale’s Freehold estate, owned and managed by social landlord Rochdale Boroughwide Housing RBH).

His father, Faisal Abdullah, had concerns about damp and mould at their home from autumn 2017 more than a year before Awaab was born.

Awaab was taken to Rochdale Urgent Care Centre on December 19, 2020, and transferred to Royal Oldham Hospital where he was treated for croup and discharged the following morning.

But the youngster’s condition worsened and he was taken to Rochdale Urgent Care Centre again on December 21, before being moved to Royal Oldham Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The inquest heard from Dr Phillipa Marshall, the paediatric doctor who saw Awaab when he was transferred from Rochdale Urgent Care Centre to Royal Oldham Hospital on the night of December 19. At the time, Awaab had noisy breathing’ with a wheeze’ and a barking cough) and he had been treated with a nebuliser but required further observation.