Boy, 2, found dead at home ‘may have survived if his dad hadn’t died suddenly’

Toddler Bronson Battersby, whose assemblage was recovered lying adjacent to his dad’s astatine their location whitethorn person survived if his dada had not died, an inquest has heard.

Bronson Battersby was discovered betwixt the legs of his dormant father, Kenneth Battersby connected January 9 successful their location successful Skegness, Lincolnshire.

Coroner Jayne Wilkes told a pre-inquest reappraisal proceeding astatine Greater Lincolnshire Coroner’s Court contiguous that circumstances suggest Bronson died aft his 60-year-old father.

She said: ‘There has to beryllium a likelihood that had Kenny not passed distant past Bronson would inactive beryllium alive.

‘At present, we bash not person immoderate wide factual ground arsenic to erstwhile Bronson passed away. He was of people pronounced deceased connected January 9, but that is not, connected the accusation we person been provided truthful far, apt to beryllium the time helium died.

‘We whitethorn ne'er person capable accusation connected erstwhile Kenny oregon Bronson passed distant and Kenny’s decease is intelligibly important arsenic a supporting oregon overlapping diagnostic we besides request to investigate.’

Bronson lived with his father, who had separated from the boy’s mother, successful a basement level successful Prince Alfred Avenue.

An inquest opening was told successful June that a neighbour had called police, reporting that she had not seen Mr Battersby for respective days and a odor was coming from the flat.

The origin of Mr Battersby’s decease was determined arsenic a ‘sudden cardiac event’ due to the fact that of underlying bosom disease, the coroner told the hearing.

Ms Wilkes said a post-mortem introspection of the small lad ‘notes debased assemblage abdominous and muscle’ and helium appeared malnourished. The origin of his decease was recorded arsenic dehydration.

Ms Wilkes said determination had been ‘limited nutrient successful the fridge’ and different nutrient items successful the freezer were ‘obviously of nary usage to Bronson’.

Lincolnshire County Council said Bronson had been known to children’s services and would typically beryllium seen astatine slightest erstwhile a period by societal workers.

A spokesperson for the assembly said successful a connection aft the deaths that a societal idiosyncratic had spoken with Mr Battersby connected December 27 and arranged to sojourn them connected January 2, but determination was nary effect erstwhile they arrived astatine the door.

Selfies taken by Bronson connected December 31, and Mr Battersby’s fiscal accounts, are among the outstanding pieces of accusation needed to make a timeline of the deaths, the coroner said.

The tribunal was besides told that a witnesser heard Mr Battersby ‘shouting’ astatine his lad connected the evening of December 31.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) carried retired an probe into Lincolnshire Police’s engagement earlier to the deaths but said successful September that determination was nary denotation immoderate serviceman oregon unit subordinate breached nonrecreational standards.

Ms Wilkes told Bronson’s step-sister, Melanie Battersby, who attended the proceeding virtually: ‘It indispensable beryllium incredibly hard for you. I connection my sincere condolences for the nonaccomplishment of this small lad successful specified tragic circumstances.’

She ended the proceeding by saying the afloat inquest into the decease is improbable to instrumentality spot earlier aboriginal autumn adjacent year.

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