Boy thrown from Tate Modern balcony has smile back after leaving hospital

A French boy who was thrown from a viewing platform at the Tate Modern art gallery in London has left hospital, with his family saying that he now has his «smile back on his face».

The child was on holiday in the capital with his family when he was attacked in 2019. He was thrown 100ft from the gallery's balcony in an assault that left him with life-changing injuries. His family have now confirmed that he has been discharged from hospital.

In an update issued after the boy left hospital, the family said he had his «smile back on his face». They have released few details about his condition since the attack, so the comments offered a rare public indication of how the boy is doing.

The attack happened at the Tate Modern, one of London's best-known art galleries. The boy, who is French, had been staying in London on holiday. He was thrown from the gallery's high-level viewing platform and fell about 100ft. Jonty Bravery was identified in connection with the attack.

The fall left the boy with injuries described as life-changing. He went on to spend a prolonged period in hospital. The family have not disclosed the full details of his treatment, but they have now been able to confirm that he is out of hospital and that his smile has returned.

News of the incident in 2019 was met with shock because of the boy's age and the height of the fall. The Tate Modern is one of the most visited cultural sites in London, and the attack took place on a viewing level that is open to the public.

Since then, the family's focus has been on the boy's medical care. Their latest statement did not set out what the next stage of his recovery will involve. Instead, it concentrated on a single, meaningful detail: he has his smile back on his face. For a child who has spent a long time in hospital after such a serious fall, the return of his smile marks an important step.

The man responsible for the attack, Jonty Bravery, has been named in connection with the case. The boy's recovery has been followed closely since he was hurt. Now that he has left hospital, the family can begin a new phase outside the medical setting.

In their message, the family chose words that reflect both relief and hope. They did not claim that the boy has fully recovered, and they did not give a timetable for what lies ahead. What they did say was that the smile is back on his face. Given the severity of the injuries he sustained in the 2019 attack, that simple statement marks a moment of progress.