Police watchdog to investigate whether officers 'missed opportunities' over death of two-year-old Bronson Battersby
18 January 2024, 16:24 | Updated: 18 January 2024, 16:48
The police watchdog has launched an investigation into whether officers missed "opportunities" before two-year-old Bronson Battersby was found dead with his father.
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The toddler is believed to have starved to death after his father Kenneth Battersby had a heart attack over the Christmas period at their flat in Skegness.
The discovery followed multiple failed attempts by social services to get in touch with them.
A probe into social services has been started and Lincolnshire Police referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).
The watchdog has now said it will look into "whether there were any missed opportunities" by officers in the run up to the boy's death.
Read more: Bronson Battersby 'just wanted to be loved and cuddled', heartbroken neighbour reveals
Derrick Campbell, regional director for the IOPC, said: "The harrowing circumstances in which Kenneth and Bronson Battersby died are truly shocking. Our sympathies go out to everyone affected by their sad deaths.
"It is appropriate we carry out an independent investigation to consider the police response to any prior welfare concerns that were raised.
"We will be examining whether there were any missed opportunities by police to check on Mr Battersby and Bronson sooner.
"We will be in contact with Bronson's mother and Mr Battersby's family in due course to explain our role and how our investigation will progress."
Bronson's body was found in the dark alongside his deceased father, Kenneth, and their emaciated pet dog, Skylar, who survived.
Mr Battersby is thought to have died from a heart attack at some point on or after December 29. He suffered from a heart condition that caused severe jaundice for months.
Bronson then died days later due to starvation and dehydration, but was not found for another week. He was discovered curled up next to his father's body.
The landlady of Mr Battersby's home, Maria Clifton Plaice, said one of her tenants reported hearing the two-year-old cry out for his father.
"She said she heard a little boy repeatedly say 'daddy' as if he was trying to wake him up. This was around 4am," she said.
Ms Plaice told the Mail: "The tenant has now also spoken to the police. She contacted us on Sunday and we passed the information on."
As he was considered vulnerable, Bronson was checked on weekly by social services.
A social worker visited on January 2 but there was no answer.
The two were discovered when Ms Plaice gave the keys to a social worker, who entered and found them.
It has raised questions about the attempts that were made to contact the family and whether any chances to save him were missed.
Bronson's mother Sarah, who last saw her son alive before Christmas, claimed "social services didn't do anything".
Lincolnshire County Council has opened an urgent review into what happened, while Lincolnshire Police said: "The exact actions of organisations involved will be analysed in a forthcoming review and at this stage it would be inappropriate to comment further.
"As part of standard procedures we have referred this to the IOPC as a result of a death or serious injury following police involvement."
It has also emerged burglars broke into the flat a day before the bodies were found.
They got in through a window and took Mr Battersby's wallet and some of his medication.
