Bronson Battersby's heartbreaking final Christmas as devastating update emerges

Little Bronson Battersby mightiness inactive beryllium live had his father Kenneth Battersby not died, a pre-inquest proceeding has heard.

The toddler was discovered curled up betwixt 60-year-old Kenneth's legs, inactive wearing his Pudsey Bear pyjamas connected January 9. Both begetter and son, described arsenic "two peas successful a pod", had died, having past been seen live connected Boxing Day by a visiting neighbour.

It's believed Kenneth, known arsenic 'Kenny' to loved ones, suffered a fatal "sudden cardiac event" earlier the New Year, portion young Bronson died of dehydration soon aft Christmas 2023, with post-mortem introspection noting "low assemblage abdominous and muscle”.

A pre-inquest reappraisal proceeding held this week astatine Greater Lincolnshire Coroner's Court has heard however circumstances would suggest that Bronson died aft his dad, meaning he'd been near unsocial astatine their location successful Skegness, Lincolnshire.

Addressing the tribunal connected Thursday (November 28), Coroner Jayne Wilkes said: "There has to beryllium a likelihood that had Kenny not passed away, 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 course, 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 away, and Kenny's decease is intelligibly important arsenic a supporting oregon overlapping diagnostic we besides request to investigate."

Final Christmas meal and fridge tragedy

In an interrogation with The Sun, Bronson's bereaved mother, Sarah Piesse, shared however the toddler and his begetter had enjoyed a large Christmas meal unneurotic earlier calamity struck.

Devastatingly, Sarah, who rowed with Kenneth soon earlier Christmas, revealed that Bronson would person been capable to past disconnected festive leftovers had helium lone been capable to scope the fridge. She said: "They had each the trimmings and chickenhearted alternatively of turkey due to the fact that Bronson liked chicken. All the nutrient would person inactive been successful the fridge. If lone Bronson was a small spot taller, past helium would person survived. The fridge would person been packed with Christmas leftovers."

But astatine the hearing, Ms Wilkes remarked that determination had been "limited nutrient successful the fridge" and different nutrient items successful the freezer were "obviously of nary usage to Bronson", who appeared to beryllium malnourished.

A neighbour who called connected Boxing Day said the 'inseparable' begetter and lad had 'big smiles' arsenic they greeted her. The pursuing day, the aforesaid neighbour texted Kenneth arsenic she was acrophobic astir his wellness issues, receiving the pursuing grateful connection successful response: "Thank you some for caring astir maine and Bronson. It means the satellite to us, it truly does." That aforesaid day, a societal idiosyncratic spoke with Kenneth to put a sojourn for January 2.

A assembly spokesperson said successful a connection that a societal idiosyncratic had communicated with Kenneth connected December 27 and arranged for a sojourn connected January 2.

Desperate tears

As reported by ITV News, a neighbour stated that she was 'pretty sure' she heard Bronson crying done the walls of her level precocious connected New Year's Eve. A witnesser besides heard Kenneth shouting astatine his lad connected the evening of December 31.

Selfies taken by Bronson connected December 31, arsenic good arsenic Kenneth's fiscal accounts, are among the outstanding pieces of accusation needed to make a timeline of the deaths, arsenic per the coroner. On the archetypal time of 2024, 'Happy New Year' texts sent to Kenneth's telephone went unanswered.

On January 2, the societal idiosyncratic knocked connected the doorway of Kenneth's level and rang the constabulary erstwhile she didn't person an answer.

Reflecting connected Bronson's last days, a household person told The Sun: "It breaks my heart. Bronson deserved so, truthful overmuch better. He was specified a loving, adorable small boy. They recovered him curled up astatine Kenneth's legs. He was near successful the acheronian and indispensable person been terrified and truthful confused.

"He indispensable person thought his dada was conscionable dormant oregon something. He indispensable person been trying to aftermath him up. He indispensable person been screaming. I don't cognize however the neighbours didn't hear. Apparently, children of that property tin past 3 oregon 4 days without immoderate food. It indispensable person been torture. He was conscionable gorgeous. He was ever smiling and truthful loving. He ever wanted a cuddle. He was similar immoderate toddler. He loved thing that made a noise."

Lincolnshire Live antecedently reported that Detective Inspector Claire Rimmer of Lincolnshire Police told the coroner's tribunal however officers were called by a 'concerned' neighbour who hadn't seen Kenneth for a portion and reported a smell.

Door knocks that could person saved Bronson's life

On January 4, the societal idiosyncratic erstwhile again visited the level and contacted the constabulary aft her knocks erstwhile again went unanswered. It wasn't until January 9, however, that the bodies of Kenneth and Bronson were discovered.

Grieving mum Sarah believes Bronson would inactive beryllium live had societal services entered the property. She told The Sun: "If societal services had done their job, Bronson would inactive beryllium alive. But they didn't bash anything. I can't judge it. They can't fto them get distant with this.

"They deliberation Kenneth died nary earlier than December 29. It means if the societal idiosyncratic had pushed to get successful erstwhile she got nary reply connected January 2, past Bronson would inactive person been alive."

Heather Sandy, enforcement manager for children's services, told ITV News: "Social workers are not allowed to unit introduction into properties, that would beryllium unlawful, truthful that wouldn't beryllium thing we could do. We would interaction the police.

"To beryllium clear, successful presumption of societal workers - the societal workers would sojourn the household erstwhile each 3 weeks, possibly each 4 weeks; it's not thing they would beryllium doing connected a regular basis. So precise sadly, successful these tragic circumstances, Kenneth's bosom onslaught has resulted successful Bronson's decease arsenic well."

Lincolnshire County Council has stated that Bronson had been known to children's services and would typically beryllium seen by societal workers astatine slightest erstwhile a month. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), which conducted an probe into Lincolnshire Police's engagement earlier the deaths, said that determination was nary denotation immoderate serviceman oregon unit subordinate had been successful breach of nonrecreational standards.

Ms Wilkes ended the proceeding by stating that the afloat inquest is improbable to instrumentality spot earlier aboriginal autumn adjacent year.

Timeline

December 26 - Bronson was past seen live erstwhile helium waved astatine a neighbour who called connected him and his dad.

December 27 - Kenneth messaged a neighbour, telling them: "Thanks truthful overmuch for caring, it means the satellite to maine and Bronson."

January 2 - A societal idiosyncratic knocked connected the doorway but near aft cipher answered. She past made enquiries astatine different addresses and called the police.

January 4 - The societal idiosyncratic made an ­unannounced sojourn to the property, but again, she received nary effect and contacted the police.

January 9 - The societal idiosyncratic contacted the landlord earlier constabulary were informed astatine astir 3.25 p.m. that 2 bodies had been recovered That aforesaid day, Bronson's mum Sarah was informed and went to place his body

January 16 - The household received results of a post-mortem showing Kenneth died of a bosom onslaught and Bronson from dehydration and starvation.

January 17 - Lincolnshire County Council confirmed a reappraisal was underway, portion Lincolnshire Police stated that it had referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

On February 20, Lincolnshire Safeguarding Children Partnership announced an in-depth autarkic reappraisal supported by the National Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel.

Do you person a communicative to share? Email maine astatine julia.banim@reachplc.com