'He was about 2 inches off': Bronson Battersby's mother says he was too small to reach fridge as he starved to death beside dead father

Bronson Battersby, a two-year-old boy, and his 60-year-old father, Kenneth Battersby, were discovered lifeless at a residence in Skegness on January 9. According to The Sun, the distressing incident has sparked a swift investigation.

Reports suggest that the young child, affectionately termed the "light of his dad's eye," may have succumbed to starvation following Mr. Battersby's fatal heart attack.

Bronson Battersby, the starved toddler, was reportedly just two inches away from reaching a fridge filled with leftovers that could have potentially saved him, according to his devastated mother, as reported by The Sun. Additionally, Bronson Battersby found difficulty accessing his snacks as they had recently been relocated from a low cupboard to prevent him from helping himself to treats.

Bronson's mother, Mrs Battersby told the Sun:

“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."

Curled up in his pajamas next to his father, Kenneth, Bronson Battersby was discovered lifeless at their residence in Skegness, Lincolnshire, on January 9, 2024.

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Bronson Battersby's death; Mother feels devastated

According to an initial examination, Bronson Battersby is said to have succumbed to starvation and dehydration. Mr. Battersby had been experiencing a heart condition, which had resulted in severe jaundice over the past few months.

Social services, who regularly visited Mr. Battersby's due to his vulnerable condition, tried reaching out to the family on January 2 but received no response, as reported by the Sun.

After an unanswered visit on January 4, 2024, social services informed the police. However, the grim discovery of the two lifeless bodies occurred on January 9.

Branson with his brother and sister (Image via Facebook / @Sarahlouise Piesse)

In 2019, Sarah and Kenny, who share a three-year-old daughter and a seven-year-old son, separated but maintained an on-off relationship. Approximately six months ago, when Sarah moved into a new flat, she and Kenny mutually agreed that Bronson Battersby would live with Kenny because Sarah's new home posed safety concerns for the toddler, primarily due to a high staircase lacking a banister.

Branson with his mom (Image via Facebook / @Sarahlouise Piesse)

The last time Sarah saw Bronson Battersby was in November, and she was scheduled to meet him this January to give him his Christmas present, which remained unwrapped at home.

Sarah became emotional as she recounted their last meeting, during which she had prepared spaghetti bolognese for him, and he had enjoyed time with his older brother and sister. An argument with Kenny had resulted in weeks passing without Sarah being able to see her son.

Branson with his mom (Image via Facebook / @Sarahlouise Piesse)

Sarah Piesse felt devastated after losing her son. She told The Sun:

"Kenny and I had argued in November...so I backed off a bit and gave him space. I will never stop regretting that now."

She further said:

“His (Bronson Battersby) 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.”

Sarah expressed regret, stating that all the food would still have been in the fridge, and if only Bronson Battersby had been a little bit taller, he would have survived. She mentioned that the fridge would have been packed with Christmas leftovers. Sarah further conveyed that she would never forgive herself for not having a chance to be there for him. She also called herself "selfish".

"It is haunting me. If I can fall asleep at all, it is only for a few hours. I jolt awake thinking of him wandering around alone, starving. He must have been so weak in the end that he decided to give up and hold on to his dad, hugging his legs. I will never forgive myself for not being there. When I picture him alone in that flat it makes me feel like a failure, cruel, selfish."

According to the BBC, she mentioned that if social services had fulfilled their responsibilities, Bronson Battersby would still be alive, emphasizing their failure to take action.

She expressed disbelief and a strong opinion that they cannot let them escape accountability for this situation. She stressed the importance of being able to trust social workers to ensure the safety of the children.