In a tragic incident, two-year-old Bronson Battersby was discovered lifeless alongside his father, Kenneth Battersby, in their basement flat on Prince Alfred Avenue in Skegness. The inquest, overseen by senior coroner Paul Smith in Lincoln, revealed that Bronson’s death resulted from severe dehydration.
Bronson had been living with his father since his parents’ separation in the summer of 2022, while his two siblings resided with their mother. Concerned neighbours alerted the police after not seeing Mr. Battersby for an extended period and detecting an unusual odour emanating from the flat.
Upon investigation, Kenneth Battersby’s body was found behind the living room door, likely due to a suspected heart attack. Tragically, Bronson was discovered dead between his father’s legs.
The grim discovery occurred a week after social workers attempted to make contact with the family. Despite their efforts, no response was received during the initial visit on January 2. Subsequent attempts over the next two days also failed, leading to a police intervention. Unfortunately, it took five more days before the bodies were found.
Bronson’s post-mortem examination at Leicestershire Royal Infirmary on January 11 confirmed dehydration as the cause of his death. Senior coroner Paul Smith adjourned the inquest, emphasising the ongoing “thorough and sensitive investigation” into the tragic incident.
The Lincolnshire Safeguarding Children Partnership has initiated an independent review of the case, which is expected to take six months.
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