Bronson Battersby: Mum says toddler was 'about two inches off' being able to reach the fridge

The heartbroken mother of a two-year-old boy who was starved to death after his father suffered a fatal heart attack, was two inches too small to open a fridge full of food that would have saved his life. Bronson Battersby was found curled up clutching his father, Kenneth Battersby's legs at their home in Skegness on January 9.

Bronson’s mum Sarah Piesse, also shared a three-year-old daughter and seven-year-old son with Kenneth. They split in 2019 with both deciding Bronson would live with his father. But now, she said she is now haunted by the thought of her son being alone in the dark for days on end, desperately trying to find food and water. She also said she can never forgive herself for not being there for her son.

In an interview with The Sun, the 43-year-old said: "Kenny moved all the snacks higher up so he couldn’t get to them without asking. Now all I can think of in my head is him, starving, reaching up and trying to get them. I can’t bear it.

"He was about two inches off being able to reach the fridge to open it. His last moments were spent alone and he must have been so thirsty and hungry. He will have been crying. He will have been so confused. And Kenny was there on the floor. I can only pray he thought his dad was asleep."

According to The Sun, social workers, who visited Bronson due to him being classed as vulnerable, visited the property on January 2 but got no response at the door. Lincolnshire County Council said that the social worker who attended left the property and phoned the police shortly after there was no response.

A second call was made on January 4 and again, the police were phoned. However, the dad and son were not found dead until five days after the social worker obtained a key from the landlord and entered the property. Mr Battersby is believed to have died of a heart attack at some point after December 29.

Lincolnshire Police referred itself to the watchdog over the case, while the council has also launched a "rapid review" to investigate why the toddler was not found sooner.

Kenny and his son had shared a "big Christmas dinner" together with all the trimmings eating chicken instead of turkey because Bronson liked chicken, according to his mum. She said: "If only Bronson was a little bit taller, then he would have survived. The fridge would have been packed with Christmas leftovers."

Lincolnshire County Council said the social worker responsible for checking on Kenny and Bronson has not been suspended, however it’s thought they have taken time off voluntarily.