Gabe’s Law push after two fatal falls: “Our sons should never have died”

Two bereaved parents in Liverpool are urging legal change after similar deaths, calling for higher safety barriers in car parks.

A Liverpool campaign is gathering pace after two families were devastated by deaths they say were preventable.

Natasha Perry and Johnny Santer both lost sons in highly similar, traumatic circumstances linked to falls from multi-storey car parks.. Perry’s son Josh died aged 21 after falling from the 19th floor of the Liverpool Central car park in Renshaw Street on March 14, 2025, while Santer’s son Gabriel died at 15 after a fall from the Hanover Street Q Park in the city centre on October 3, 2020.. In both cases, the parents say the young men were intoxicated and in a vulnerable state when they died.

The overlap between the two tragedies is driving a wider concern: whether existing safety rules are doing enough to stop people getting onto dangerously accessible edges.

Both Natasha and Johnny are now calling for a change in the law, backing what is known as Gabe’s Law.. The proposal would raise the minimum legal height of safety barriers on the top levels of multi-storey car parks from 1.1 metres to 2.7 metres.. They argue that taller railings would have made a critical difference in stopping their sons from falling, and could prevent other families from going through the same grief.

Following Josh’s inquest, Misryoum reports that a Prevention of Future Deaths Report highlighted concerns about confusion over current building regulations and warned that further deaths could occur without action.. Natasha says she believes her son would be alive today if the barriers where he fell had been higher, and if he had not been in the vulnerable condition she says he was in at the time.

This matters beyond one case, because families across the country are watching to see whether recommendations translate into changes that could protect people who may not be able to make safe decisions.

Natasha described how barrier design and the presence of features such as horizontal elements may have contributed to access around the edge.. She also said she feared the situation had escalated from intoxication, pointing to ketamine and describing her son’s apparent disorientation.. She said she had already taken steps to keep drugs out of her home when his addiction worsened, including asking him to spend time away in a hotel.

For Johnny, the frustration is compounded by time.. He said that years of campaigning have so far not delivered the law change they want, and that seeing further preventable deaths remains deeply upsetting.. In his view, the barriers being too low is a core issue, and he believes the system is not set up to prevent the kind of tragedy his family suffered.

The parents say their message is simple: safety barriers should be designed to reduce the likelihood of a fall even when people are impaired, vulnerable, or unable to respond appropriately.

Their efforts have also crossed paths, with Natasha supported through Josh’s inquest and Johnny drawing on shared guidance as he navigated Gabriel’s.. Misryoum understands that both families have spoken about the emotional strain of inquests and the sense that the process can feel rushed when grieving families seek clear answers.

Now, as they press for progress, they are asking decision-makers to stop relying on the status quo. At the heart of the campaign is the belief that higher barriers could change outcomes, and that Gabe’s Law needs to become real rather than remain a promise on paper.

If you or someone you know is struggling to cope after thoughts of suicide or with mental health challenges, Misryoum notes that support is available.. Samaritans operates a 24-hour service and can be reached at 116 123.. PAPYRUS provides support for teenagers and young adults at 0800 068 41 41.. Mind also offers advice and support at 0300 123 3393.