Boy, 2, found dead next to body of his father died of dehydration

A two-year-old boy found dead next to the body of his father died of dehydration, a coroner has ruled.

Bronson Battersby was discovered dead between the legs of Kenneth Battersby at their home in Skegness, Lincolnshire, in January.

An inquest into the toddler’s death was told he “appeared to be quite malnourished” when he was found.

A brief hearing at Greater Lincolnshire Coroner’s Court on Thursday was told that the pair’s bodies were discovered after a neighbour called police on the afternoon of 9 January.

Bronson’s body was formally identified by a detective sergeant on 15 January, three days after a post-mortem examination carried out at Leicester Royal Infirmary which confirmed his cause of death as dehydration.

Detective inspector Claire Rimmer, of Lincolnshire Eastern Protecting Vulnerable Persons Unit, also gave evidence to the hearing, detailing the circumstances in which Bronson’s body was found.

Ms Rimmer said Bronson lived with his father, who had separated from the toddler’s mother, in a basement flat in Prince Alfred Avenue.

The senior officer told the inquest that at 3.25pm on 9 January, police were called by a neighbour who reported she hadn’t seen Mr Battersby “for several days and there was a smell coming from the flat”.

After a social worker and a landlady gained entry to the flat, Kenneth’s body was found on the floor behind the living room door, preventing it from being opened further and leaving them “unaware that Bronson was also in the room”.

Adjourning the inquest to a provisional date in December, Mr Smith said the case “clearly requires a thorough and sensitive investigation”.

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The police watchdog has previously said it will investigate whether there were any “missed opportunities” by officers prior to the deaths of Bronson and his 60-year-old father, who relatives believe died from natural causes.

Lincolnshire County Council has confirmed Bronson had been known to children’s services and would typically be seen at least once a month by social workers.

In a statement issued shortly after the deaths, a spokesman for the county council confirmed the social worker communicated with Mr Battersby on 27 December and arranged to visit them on 2 January, but there was no response when they arrived at the door.

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The social worker “made inquiries at other addresses where the child could be” and contacted the police, before a second unannounced visit on 4 January also went unanswered, and Lincolnshire Police was contacted again.

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