Five-year-old Malika Hibu fell into a section of the canal close to the Crest Buildings

“SHE was a princess in name and in every way.”

These were the heartbreaking words from a father grieving for his five-year-old daughter who died after falling into the canal.

Malika Hibu died when she fell into the water by her home in Wharf Road on Saturday.

Malika’s name means princess, and her father, Mohammed Hibu, said the schoolgirl, one of four siblings, was a true joy to be around.

Speaking from his home in the Crest Buildings by the City Road Basin yesterday (Thursday), he said: “She was a happy girl. I’m not just saying that because she was my daughter. Always, she was smiling, happy. She loved staying around me, joking about my body, calling me an old man. She was smiling always. She liked playing in parks, joking.”

Peabody, landlords of an estate which is less than five years old, were this week being asked about safety around the waterway.

The Hibu family’s home is just metres from the canal, and Mr Hibu said he never allowed his four children to play near there due to his fears over the lack of any barriers by the water’s edge. He said he does not know how Malika fell in, and is awaiting the conclusion of a police investigation.

Mr Hibu, originally from Eritrea, speaking directly to Peabody, said: “I would like to say ‘enough’. With my child this is enough. I don’t want to see any more children, any more problems happen like this, by the water.

“They have to consider you know, this area is a residential area, as you see. Hundreds of people live in here.

“That means hundreds of children living here – so they have to consider their safety.”

He added: “Peabody – about the fence, they’re not interested, from what I see. They’re only interested when you miss one week’s payment, straightaway, they send letters – ‘Pay your rent’.”

Police said they were called to Wharf Road at 4.13pm on Saturday after Malika, a pupil at the Bridge Primary School near Caledonian Road, was reported missing.

She was found, face down in the water, at 4.24pm, by neighbours who jumped in and pulled her out. Despite being given CPR, she was pronounced dead at hospital at 7pm.

A police spokesman said: “Our enquiries are ongoing, however the ­circumstances are not believed to be suspicious.”

Others on the estate say individuals had spoken to Peabody about safety over the years, but that nothing was done and concerns were never taken seriously.

Leanne Thompson, 26, who has two children under the age of six, said residents had told Peabody they would pay for their own fence, but were told by the housing providers that they would not be allowed.

Flowers were left at her family’s home

“We wanted the canal blocked off for ages,” said Ms Thompson, who has lived there for just under five years. “My mum actually called them up and said, ‘If Peabody isn’t going to do anything about it, we’re going to board it up ourselves’. And they said, ‘Well, if you do that, we’re going to take it down’.”

One neighbour, who didn’t want to be named, was the one who found Malika in the water, after she had been missing for some time.

“We told them it’s dangerous,” she said. “You go down that end, there’s no bars. It’s open – half of the bars are loose. They should have covered the whole lot of that up. Why put kids near water? Four years ago they should’ve done that.”

The woman added: “I just went outside. And they said she was gone 20 minutes. I said ‘Have you checked the water?’ They said ‘Yes’. But I went up to it, held onto the bars and I could see something floating. She had a puffer jacket on. She was underwater.

“The next door neighbour jumped in and pulled her out. I froze.”

Martin Perks, a resident who set up a chat group during Covid to support others on the estate, said Peabody, the architects and Islington planners should all have known about the potential dangers of the waterways when they were developing the site.

“The question is, how come it was never remedied?”, he said.

A spokesperson for Peabody said: “We are of course really upset by what’s happened near the Crest Buildings. From what we’re hearing, this was a tragic accident, but we must let the investigation establish what happened if possible and be careful not to speculate before it has concluded.

“You mentioned requests for barriers. We are looking into this but believe some people might have asked for a barrier to be put in an arched gateway on the opposite side of the development to stop people walking through the estate. The request was not to block off the canal.”

Tracy Packer, managing director at Peabody said: “This is a horrendous tragedy, and our thoughts are very much with the little girl’s family and friends as they go through this incredibly difficult time.

“Our neighbourhood team has been visiting residents to check in and offer support where needed.”

Islington’s council leader Cllr Kaya Comer-Schwartz said: “We are all heartbroken by this awful tragedy and our thoughts, prayers and most heartfelt condolences are with the family and everyone affected.

“The council has been supporting the family since the incident occurred and will continue to do so through this difficult time.

“There are ongoing police inquiries and we will work closely with police, and any other organisations involved, on the investigation.”