Boy who died in flat fall was amazing, says brother

Jason Campbell
Jason Campbell, Renoy Ellis's half-brother, said the 12-year-old loved space and maths and dreamed of working in the aerospace industry [BBC]

A 12-year-old boy who died after falling from an upper-floor flat in south London was "amazing" and had "so much potential", his half-brother said.

Renoy Ellis died after he fell from the property at Ward Point on Hotspur Street in Kennington shortly before 16:30 BST on Friday.

Police said there was "nothing to indicate the incident was suspicious" at this stage but an investigation was ongoing.

Jason Campbell told the BBC his half-brother was “bubbly, he was happy".

Police tape seen at the scene outside the block of flats in Kennington
Renoy fell from an upper-floor flat in Hotspur Street, Kennington [BBC]

"Just a few weeks ago we were playing together, football, we played a bit of table tennis, we went for a walk around the park," he said.

“On his 12th birthday me and my girlfriend took him out.

“I was his role model, I was his big bro."

Mr Campbell said Renoy loved space and maths and dreamed of working in the aerospace industry.

"He was more like a nerdy kind of guy, into computers, reading books, doing his homework, kind of excelling at life," he said.

“He knew what life was about… he was so smart.

“He was just an amazing person, he had so much potential.”

floral tributes and tealights with messages
Flowers and candles were laid outside the block where Renoy died [BBC]

On floral tributes laid outside the block on Saturday morning, a message read: "RIP to my closest friend, gone too soon."

Another said: "With love and prayers, Nanna."

The area's Labour MP Florence Eshalomi wrote in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter: "Very sad to hear about the sad death of a young child who fell from a block of flats earlier this afternoon in Hotspur Street, SE11.

"My thoughts are with his family at this sad time."

It comes days after a five-year-old child died in similar circumstances in east London.

The boy - who has been identified as Aalim Ahmed - fell from the kitchen window of a 15th storey flat in the Plaistow area.

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