Bronson Battersby 'just wanted to be loved and cuddled', heartbroken neighbour reveals
18 January 2024, 12:14 | Updated: 18 January 2024, 14:27
A toddler who was found dead lying next to his father's body "just wanted to be loved and cuddled", a heartbroken neighbour of the family has revealed.
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Bronson Battersby, two, was found alongside his father's body on January 9 by their landlady, after social services repeatedly failed to get in contact with them.
It is thought Bronson's father, Kenneth, suffered a heart attack around December 27, but social services did not visit the property until January 2.
They arrived for a pre-arranged welfare check on Bronson, who was considered vulnerable, but never got a reply. Police were called, though their bodies were not discovered until January 9.
According to a neighbour who lives above their flat, Kenneth "tried to be a good dad...but he was really struggling".
"Social services were aware he wasn’t coping very well but did very little, if anything to help," Amanda Tovey told the Mirror.
“He had sole custody of Branson and they lived alone. He was a cheeky lad and had a sweet little face but he craved love and attention," Amanda added.
“Whenever I saw him with his dad he would throw his arms around me and the last time I saw him he had given me a kiss on the cheek. He just wanted to be loved and cuddled.”
It comes after the landlord of the property lived in by Bronson and his father described the "horrible" moment she found the pair dead inside the flat.
Maria Clifton-Plaice was asked by social workers to let them into Kenneth Battersby's flat after he failed to respond to multiple requests to visit his son.
A post-mortem shows Mr Battersby died of a heart attack some time around December 29, leaving two-year-old Bronson on his own, unable to access any food.
He eventually died of starvation and dehydration, his post-mortem revealed.
According to the landlady, she entered the property first, alongside two social workers, with police going in afterwards.
"I found Kenny’s body, not knowing that his son was lying dead too behind him. It was a horrible tragedy and we are devastated," she told the Mirror.
"I cannot tell you how horrible it was. I never expected to find Kenny and Bronson like that. I don’t think I will ever get over it.”
Lincolnshire County Council social services had been carrying out regular visits to Bronson, who was considered vulnerable, and have fast-tracked an investigation into his death.
The landlady went on: “I was alerted by social workers when they couldn't contact Kenny and was asked to go to his basement flat with my spare key for emergency.
“He always used the back entrance in but I used the internal entrance and went with two ladies from social services, one younger, and one older. We opened the door and walked down the stairs to the front lounge but it wouldn’t open fully open.
“When I saw Kenny I knew he was dead. I had already seen the bodies of my daughter and husband - the worst thing ever - so I just recognised what happens when you die.
“Kenny was dead on the floor and lying on his back and partly blocking the door."
It is another tragedy for Ms Clifton-Plaice, who is already in grief therapy and suffering from PTSD due to the loss of her husband and daughter in a car accident.
