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According to reports, a 2-year-old child died of starvation while lying next to his father’s body, as his family alleges that social services did not provide adequate assistance.
Bronson Battersby, who is 2 years old, was located two weeks after his neighbor in Skegness, Lincolnshire reported seeing him alive on Boxing Day.
Kenneth’s father, aged 60, reportedly passed away due to a heart attack soon after 26 December. During this time, the toddler was neglected and left without any sustenance for several days.
The Sun reported that Lincolnshire County Council informed them that social services went to the residence on January 2nd and again two days later. They contacted the police both times when they did not receive a response. However, it has been alleged that it took an additional five days for the bodies of the father and son to be discovered on January 9th. This occurred after a social worker had to obtain the key from the landlord and enter the property on their own.
A investigation has been initiated following initial analyses that revealed Bronson, who was in the care of child services, passed away due to lack of water and food.
Sarah Piesse, the mother of Bronson who is 43 years old, expressed to the publication that if social services had fulfilled their responsibilities, her son would still be alive. However, they failed to take any action. She is shocked and believes that they cannot be allowed to escape accountability. As parents, they should be able to trust social workers to protect their children.
The mother of three children stated that she has received the findings of the post-mortem examination. It was revealed that Bronson died from starvation due to the death of his father. The authorities believe that Kenneth passed away no earlier than December 29th. This suggests that if the social worker had taken action to check in on the family when there was no response on January 2nd, Bronson would have survived.
After a confrontation with her ex before Christmas, the devastated mother saw Bronson for the last time. She was unable to physically lift him when she went to identify him due to his delicate state. She could only touch him and noticed that he had been left unattended for an extended period of time.
The police in Lincolnshire have stated that they do not suspect any foul play in the deaths after conducting investigations. The case has been handed over to the coroner’s office.
A close acquaintance of the family referred to Bronson as a “kind and charming young boy” and expressed their belief that he deserved better treatment. According to the source, Bronson was discovered huddled at Kenneth’s feet, likely feeling frightened and disoriented due to being left in the dark.
The person expressed their frustration, stating that the social services have failed to help the boy. They believe that if the services had fulfilled their responsibilities, the boy would still be alive. They question why a social worker would simply accept no response from a vulnerable child’s door, calling it a disgrace.
Heather Sandy, the executive director of children’s services at Lincolnshire County Council, expressed her condolences for the tragic event and stated that the family is receiving support during this challenging period.
“We are currently conducting an examination of the situation in cooperation with other organizations to gain a deeper understanding of the circumstances. We are also awaiting the findings of the coroner’s inquiry.”
We send our condolences to the loved ones of those affected.
The Independent was informed by Lincolnshire Police that a 60-year-old man and a two-year-old child were found deceased at a residence on Prince Alfred Avenue in Skegness at approximately 3:25pm on Tuesday, January 9th.
After conducting investigations, the deaths are not being considered suspicious.
The case has been referred to the coroner’s office.
The Independent has reached out to Lincolnshire County Council for a response.
Source: independent.co.uk
