Update issued after 2-year-old boy found starved to death next to dad's body
An update has been issued after a toddler was found dead curled up next to his father's body in their Lincolnshire home.
Bronson Battersby was found on 9 January dehydrated and starved to death in his Pudsey bear pyjamas, curled up in a ball next to his father, Kenneth.
Kenneth, 60, is believed to have suffered a heart attack after boxing day at their home in Skegness.
The two-year-old boy was left in the dark with no food or water for almost two weeks before his death.
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Lincolnshire County Council has begun to carry out a 'rapid review' of various agencies in the area following the tragic deaths.
In an update, the police force has also announced it has referred itself to police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).
On 2 January, less than a week after Kenneth's suspected heart attack, a social worker came to the home for a routine visit.
After she didn't get an answer at the door, she called the police and tried to get more information from neighbours.
Two days on, she was still waiting for a response, so she called the authorities again, and it took five more days before the social worker could obtain a key from the landlord to check on the father and son.
A spokesperson of the Lincolnshire Police stated: "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."
Executive director of children services at Lincolnshire County Council, Heather Sandy, emphasised the importance of uncovering the order of events when speaking to BBC Radio 4’s World at One programme.
"What’s really important is that we understand fully what has happened, so the rapid review will allow all of those agencies to come together and to look at what has happened."
Sandy concluded: "This is absolutely devastating for us and very much more devastating for the family, and our thoughts are with them."
Bronson's mother, 43-year-old Sarah Piesse, accused social services of having missed numerous chances to check on her child.
Speaking to The Sun, Piesse said: "They can’t let them get away with this. We have to be able to rely on social workers to keep our children safe.
"They think Kenneth died no earlier than December 29. It means if the social worker had pushed to get in when she got no reply on January 2 then Bronson would still have been alive."
LADbible Group has contacted Lincolnshire Police and the Children's Commissioner for further comment.
Joshua Nair