A five-year-old boy who plunged about 70ft to his death from a hotel window is thought to have been an Afghan refugee whose family fled the Taliban.
The youngster, his parents and his four siblings arrived in the UK just days ago as the crisis in Afghanistan worsened and the terror group made a lightning advance to the capital Kabul.
Witnesses said they heard the boy's devastated mum screaming "my boy" as people rushed to help before the emergency services arrived.
A fellow refugee at the hotel told YorkshireLive the boy and his family were moved to the OYO Metropolitan hotel in Sheffield four days ago after escaping their homeland.
The man said: “They came here to save their lives and now this has happened. It is so sad.”
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The hotel is being used to temporarily accommodate Afghans and their families who worked alongside British troops and embassy staff.
The boy's dad is said to have worked at the British Embassy in Kabul as a senior humanitarian manager before the family were relocated to the UK earlier this month.
It is thought that he was staying at the hotel with his father, mother, two brothers and two sisters.
It is feared he fell as he looked out of the window of the family's room at about 2.30pm on Wednesday. He is thought to have fallen onto an NCP car park at the back of the hotel.
A guest said: “I heard a big loud noise and then a couple of seconds later I heard the mother screaming, ‘my boy!’”
On Wednesday night, inspectors were seen opening and examining hotel windows which open and leave a gap.
A hotel resident, who was an interpreter with the British Army in Afghanistan for two years, told the Sun: "It happened at around 2pm and he fell from the ninth floor at the back of the hotel.
“He can’t have been in England very many weeks. We spent two weeks in quarantine in Manchester and moved into this hotel five days ago.”
Another interpreter said he went to the hospital with the boy's distraught parents.
He said of the boy's mother: "She explained to me that he was standing close to the window and he was watching downstairs."
The devastated mum was in tears at the scene, the man added.
A member of the city’s Afghan Community Association, named only as Zabi, said: “It is very sad. We are looking to go to see the family to help them.”
Police confirmed on Thursday that the boy who died at the was only five-years-old and his family is being supported by specially trained officers.
Officers are not treating the boy's death as suspicious.
Residents have spoken of their shock and sadness, with one witness telling YorkshireLive that he "did not sleep at all" after seeing the little boy.
Another witness wrote on Facebook: "I saw the entire thing go down, absolutely devastating.
"The medics worked their hardest. Wanted to give my lil bro a big big hug.
"Thoughts go out to his family, fly high little angel."
Police said the boy's family are currently being supported by specially trained officers
No formal identification has taken place yet.
A spokesperson for South Yorkshire Police said: "We are appealing for information after a child sadly died in Blonk Street area of Sheffield yesterday.
"It is reported that a five-year-old boy fell from the window of the Sheffield Metropolitan Hotel at around 2.30pm.
"The boy’s family are being supported by specially trained officers. No formal identification has taken place yet.
"Officers are now appealing for anyone with information to come forward."
A Government spokesman said: "We are extremely saddened by the tragic death of a child at a hotel in Sheffield.
“The police are providing support to the family while the investigation continues and we cannot comment further at this time.”
On Tuesday, Sheffield City Council confirmed it was supporting the Home Office’s Relocation Scheme for those who have supported UK troops in Afghanistan and now find their lives at risk.
“Sheffield is a City of Sanctuary,” said co-operative executive members Alison Teal and Paul Wood, who are responsible for Sheffield’s response to the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan.
“We are seeing terrible scenes in Afghanistan and as a city we will not simply stand by when people are in crisis.”
Any witnesses, or anyone who has information, should call 101.
