Tate Modern fall boy making ‘amazing progress’ in recovery, family says

A six-year-old boy who fell five storeys from the Tate Modern is making “amazing progress” in his recovery, his family have said.

The child, who was visiting from France, suffered serious injuries including a brain bleed and spinal, leg and arm fractures after allegedly being thrown from the 10th floor at the London art gallery on 4 August.

His parents had said he was “struggling with all his strength” after two “difficult” operations, but have shared a positive update on his condition just over a month to the day since the incident.

Although the youngster still cannot speak or move his body, his family said they were “sure” that their “incredible fighter” could now understand them and had even been seen laughing.

They posted a message on a GoFundMe page set up to help his recovery,

The appeal, which was launched by London nurse Vicky Diplacto, whose brother was paralysed in a similar incident overseas, has raised more than £54,000.

The latest message said: “Hello everybody. Just a little message to tell you about our son’s amazing progress. He is an incredible fighter.

“Even if he can’t speak or move his body for the moment, we now know for sure that he understands us: he smiles and we saw him laughing several times since a couple of days when we were telling him some funny things or when we were reading to him some stories.

“It gives us lots of strength and hope, as much as the strength you, all of you, give us since the beginning with your kind messages. Thank you so much for what you do for our little boy and for us.”

Following the incident last month, a 17-year-old boy appeared in court charged with attempted murder.

The teenager made a brief appearance in the dock at the Old Bailey on 8 August for an administrative hearing, when the court was told that psychiatric reports had been ordered.

No pleas were entered and the teenager was remanded in custody, and if a trial is to be held it will be listed to last two weeks and take place in the new year.

The identities of both the victim and the defendant cannot be made public due to a reporting restriction.

(c) Sky News 2019: Tate Modern fall boy making ‘amazing progress’ in recovery, family says