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Bronson Battersby’s mother has revealed heartbreaking details of the tragic death of the toddler, who reportedly starved after being left alone for days with his father’s body.
Two weeks after being last seen alive at their home in Skegness, Lincolnshire, a neighbor found the body of Kenneth Battersby next to that of a two-year-old. This incident occurred on Boxing Day.
Kenneth, aged 60, is thought to have passed away from a heart attack soon after, leaving Bronson without any sustenance or hydration.
Two-year-old Bronson Battersby was discovered deceased from starvation several weeks after his last confirmed sighting.
Unable to hold back her tears, Sarah Piesse, a devastated mother of Bronson who was 43 years old, shared that her son’s height was only two inches shorter than what was needed to reach the fridge where the Christmas leftovers were kept. Additionally, he couldn’t reach the tap due to his height and even his snacks were moved to a higher cupboard to prevent him from accessing them.
Piesse shared with The Sun that she is unable to sleep due to the distressing image of her “beautiful son”, who was born at a weight of just over 4 pounds, frantically trying to find nourishment and hydration in the darkness.
She shared that she still has her son’s Christmas gift, a toy steering wheel, at home. She mentioned that her son and his dinner companion had a large Christmas meal with all the traditional fixings, but instead of turkey, they had chicken since her son preferred it. She believes that if he had been just a bit taller, he would have survived and there would have been plenty of Christmas leftovers in the fridge.
According to Sarah Piesse, her son’s height was only two inches shy of being able to reach the fridge where all the Christmas leftovers were stored.
She reminisced about her son with a smile and added, “He was such a mischievous two-year-old, always trying to sneak his beloved pink wafers. And when we told him he couldn’t have anymore, he would just grin and exclaim, ‘Yes! More, more, more!’ Kenny eventually placed the snacks out of reach so he had to ask for them.”
All I can imagine is him, hungry and struggling to reach up and grab them. It’s too much for me to handle. He was only two inches away from being able to open the fridge.
He spent his final moments in solitude, likely feeling parched and famished. He may have been weeping and disoriented. Kenny was there with him on the ground, and I can only hope he believed his father was sleeping.
It is believed that Kenneth Battersby passed away from a heart attack shortly after December 26th, leaving Bronson without any food or water and in a state of confusion.
Piesse, distraught, expressed that she is constantly kept awake by guilt, unable to forgive herself for not being present to rescue her two-year-old.
She expressed that she is constantly haunted by thoughts of him. On rare occasions when she is able to fall asleep, it is only for a short period of time. She wakes up suddenly, consumed with worry about him being alone and hungry. In his final moments, he must have been so frail that he chose to cling onto his father’s legs for comfort.
“I will never forgive myself for not being there. When I picture him alone in that flat it makes me feel like a failure, cruel, selfish. That little boy was sitting there wanting a drink, wanting something to eat. It breaks my heart even more.”
Piesse wondered why the authorities did not take further action for her son.
She expressed confusion over why the alarm wasn’t sounded earlier and questioned why it wasn’t done. She described her experience as a living nightmare with no end in sight.
The Independent was informed by Lincolnshire County Council that social services had a conversation with Battersby on December 27 to arrange a visit to their residence on January 2. When there was no reply that day, the council stated that the social worker reached out to the police and conducted a surprise visit two days later, after which they once again contacted the police.
But it took five more days for the father and son’s remains to be discovered on January 9, as the council stated that the social worker had to obtain permission from the landlord to enter the property on their own.
The council has initiated a “quick evaluation” of the situation after initial examinations revealed that Bronson, who was under the care of children’s services, passed away due to lack of water and food. The Lincolnshire Police stated that a future review will analyze the specific actions of all organizations involved.
The police department announced that they have reported themselves to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). A representative from the oversight organization confirmed that they are currently reviewing the report to decide on potential next steps.
Piesse discovered that Kenneth Battersby had passed away through a friend who resides on his street. She immediately inquired, “Where is my son? Who has him?”
According to The Sun, she stated, “I hurried down there as quickly as possible. It only took me 10 minutes. I ran down the street calling out Bronson’s name. I shouted for him, aware that he would need me. I was afraid of what he may have witnessed with his father’s death.”
However, the authorities placed me in an ambulance at the location. They informed me that a two-year-old boy was discovered at the scene and that they were conducting a post-mortem examination.
My entire life crumbled. I shouted, “Why? Why?” I was certain that Kenny would never allow anything to harm Bronson. He would never harm him physically.
Piesse and Battersby, who have a three-year-old daughter and seven-year-old son together, had a relationship that was sometimes on and sometimes off after breaking up in 2019. When Piesse moved into a new apartment six months ago, they agreed that their son Bronson would live with Battersby because Piesse’s home had a high staircase without a banister, which they considered to be unsafe.
Piesse cried as she shared that a disagreement with Battersby had resulted in her not seeing Bronson since November. During that last visit, she had cooked spaghetti bolognese for him and he had spent time with his siblings. She was looking forward to seeing him this month to give him his Christmas gift.
According to her statement to The Sun, she explained that Kenny and Bronson had a strong connection, which is why it seemed logical for Bronson to move in with Kenny when she got a new apartment.
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“I was aware of the presence and monitoring of social services.”
In November, Kenny and I had a disagreement and when he expressed disinterest, I respected his decision. As a result, I distanced myself and allowed him some time alone. I will always regret that decision. It’s difficult for me to sleep because whenever I try to rest, I can’t help but envision his face.
She stated, “I do not want any other mother to experience what I have endured.”
I’m curious why they weren’t able to access on the initial visit. That would have helped him out.
The social worker responsible has not been put on leave, but has chosen to take a break after the occurrence.
Heather Sandy, the executive director of children’s services at Lincolnshire County Council, expressed to The Independent: “This was a heartbreaking event and we are providing assistance to the family during this challenging period.”
“We are currently conducting a thorough examination of the situation with the assistance of other organizations in order to gain a deeper understanding. We are also awaiting the findings from the coroner’s inquiry.”
“Our condolences go out to the loved ones of those affected.”
Police in Lincolnshire reported 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, authorities have determined that the deaths were not deemed suspicious.
“The issue has been referred to the coroner’s office.”
The organizations involved will undergo analysis in a future review. It would not be suitable to provide further comments at this time.
“Following a death or serious injury involving the police, we have followed standard procedures and reported the incident to the IOPC.”
A representative from the Independent Office for Police Conduct stated that they have received a referral regarding this issue from Lincolnshire Police and are currently evaluating it to determine what steps need to be taken.
The source of this information is the independent.co.uk.
