Police force refers itself to watchdog after toddler found starved to death
Lincolnshire Police has referred itself to the police watchdog after a two-year-old boy was found starved to death alone next to his father who had suffered a fatal heart attack over Christmas.
Bronson Battersby’s body was found with his father Kenneth’s at their home in Skegness on 9 January.
The police force said in a statement: “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 Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) as a result of a death or serious injury following police involvement.”
Bronson with his dad Kenneth, who suffered a fatal heart attack. Pic: Facebook
The little boy was under children’s services care, and a social worker got in touch with his father the day after Boxing Day and arranged a visit for 2 January – but there was no answer.
They made enquiries at other addresses where the child could be and contacted the police, according to Lincolnshire County Council.
The social worker went back to the home on 4 January, but again was met with no response and alerted the police.
On 9 January the social worker was given access to the property by the landlord – where the father and son lived alone – and the tragedy was discovered.
Mum unable to hold son
Bronson’s mum Sarah Piesse, who last saw him before Christmas, told The Sun: “I can’t believe it.
“They can’t let them get away with this. We have to be able to rely on social workers to keep our children safe.”
Bronson with mum Sarah Piesse. Pic: Facebook
She said she couldn’t hold her son when she went to identify him.
“I couldn’t pick him up because his body was too fragile,” she said.
“I could only touch him. He had been left there too long.”
She said the post-mortem results showed “Bronson starved to death because his dad died”.
“They think Kenneth died no earlier than December 29,” she said.
“It means if the social worker had pushed to get in when she got no reply on 2 January then Bronson would still have been alive.”
Heather Sandy, executive director for children’s services at Lincolnshire County Council, said: “This was a tragic incident, and we are supporting the family at this difficult time.
“We are currently carrying out a review of the case alongside partner agencies to better understand the circumstances, and we await the results of the coroner’s investigations as well.
“Our thoughts are with the family and friends of those involved.”
Bronson would normally be paid a visit at least once a month, according to the council.
The social worker involved is not suspended but has taken time off following the traumatic experience.
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Father and son were ‘inseparable’
A neighbour, who didn’t want to be named, told Sky News the father and son were like “two peas in a pod”.
“Bronson was a gorgeous, happy little boy who just wanted cuddles and his dad was his best friend – they were inseparable,” she said.
She added she had last seen the pair on Boxing Day on their way to the shops in town. They’d waved and had “big smiles”.
On 27 December she said she sent a text message to the dad to check on him as she was worried about his health.
He replied: “Thank you both for caring about me and Bronson means the world to us it really does.”
On New Year’s Day, she sent another message wishing them a happy new year – but received no response.
A neighbour sent Bronson’s father a text message on 27 December
Toddler died in ‘heartbreaking circumstances’
A Lincolnshire Police spokesperson said earlier: “Police were made aware of the deaths of a 60-year-old man and a two-year-old child at a property in Prince Alfred Avenue, Skegness, at around 3.25pm on Tuesday, 9 January.
“Investigations have been carried out and the deaths are not being treated as suspicious.
“The matter has been passed to the coroner’s office.”
Sir Keir Starmer paid tribute to the toddler in the House of Commons on Wednesday.
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Starmer pays tribute to Bronson Battersby
“I can’t let today pass without saying how saddened I was by the tragic death of Bronson Battersby, aged just two, who died in heartbreaking circumstances in Skegness,” the Labour leader told MPs.
“I know that this House will join me in sending our deepest sympathies to his family.”
Liverpool have won the Premier League title after a 5-1 victory over Tottenham at Anfield.
Arne Slot’s men did it in impressive style, turning over Spurs in a convincing win.
It was a rocky start for the Reds after Dominic Solanke put the north London side ahead.
However, fortunes quickly changed in the first half as Liverpool scored three times without a response.
Captain Virgil van Dijk (centre) celebrates. Pic: Reuters
Salah on his knees in celebration after the final whistle. Pic: AP
Liverpool’s Harvey Elliott (below) and Jarell Quansah celebrate after full-time. Pic: PA
Slot cheers after the full-time whistle. Pic: AP
In the second half, it took until the 63rd minute for Mohamed Salah to make it 4-1 before a fifth followed.
The Reds have won the title in manager Arne Slot’s first season in charge, and move level with fierce rivals Manchester United on 20 league championships.
But it makes them arguably the most successful English club ever as they have won more European Cup or Champions League titles.
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk told Sky Sports after the final whistle: “It’s special and it’s something that we don’t take for granted. It’s amazing.
“A lot of emotions before the game, during the whole week, but we got the job done and we (are) truly deserved champions of England. (Liverpool is) the most beautiful club in the world and I think we deserve all of this. Let’s enjoy the next couple of weeks and let it sink in.”
Liverpool’s Kostas Tsimikas poses with a Premier League trophy cut out. Pic: Reuters
Manager Arne Slot and his team after the final whistle. Pic: AP
Slot took over last summer from Jurgen Klopp, who guided them to their previous and maiden Premier League title triumph in 2020, when the COVID-19 lockdown saw matches played behind closed doors.
He is the first Dutch manager to win the Premier League and the fifth man to do so in a debut campaign after Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti, Manuel Pellegrini, and Antonio Conte.
Speaking to Sky Sports he said: “They [the players] did an outstanding job today. The main job was to win. Everyone said we had got it already. But we had to make sure and we got over the line.”
Several players, including Alisson Becker, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk, and Mohamed Salah, played leading roles in both the 2025 and 2020 campaigns.
Van Dijk and Salah recently signed new contracts extending their careers at the club.
Mohamed Salah takes a selfie with fans after scouring the fourth Liverpool goal. Pic: AP
Fans at Anfield during the game. Pic: AP
Fans in the stands at Anfield before full-time. Pic: Reuters
Liverpool will have to wait until the final game of the season – at home to Crystal Palace on 25 May – to be presented with the Premier League trophy.
It will be the first time the club’s fans will have seen their side lift the top-flight title in person since 1990.
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Two pro-Palestinian demonstrators have thrown red powder on Tower Bridge – just moments before leading runners in the London Marathon went past.
The protesters were arrested on suspicion of causing a public nuisance and remain in custody, said the Metropolitan Police.
A video shared by Youth Demand, which is calling for a trade embargo on Israel, shows two people jumping over a barrier that separates spectators from the race course.
The pair, wearing t-shirts that say “Youth Demand: Stop Arming Israel”, are then seen standing in the middle of the road on the bridge.
Pic: LNP
They throw red powder in the air as an official marathon car goes past displaying the race time.
A motorbike with a cameraman on board continues along the route, while a second motorbike stops and one of the riders gets off and pushes the pair out of the way, just before the men’s elite runners pass.
Several police officers then jump over the barrier and detain the pair, the footage shows.
There appeared to be no impact on the marathon.
More than 56,000 participants were expected to take part in the 26.2-mile race through the capital.
Sabastian Sawe of Kenya won the men’s elite race in a time of two hours, two minutes and 27 seconds, while Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa shattered the women’s-only world record in two hours, 15 minutes and 50 seconds.
Assefa beat the previous best of two hours, 16 minutes and 16 seconds set last year in London by Kenyan Peres Jepchirchir.
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Pic: LNP
The Metropolitan Police said in a statement: “At around 10.38am, two protesters from Youth Demand jumped over barriers at Tower Bridge and threw red paint on to the road.
“Marathon event staff intervened to remove the protesters from the path of the men’s elite race which was able to pass unobstructed.”
The force added that they were “quickly supported by police officers who arrested the protesters on suspicion of causing a public nuisance”.
The Met said the paint “appeared to be chalk-based” and was not expected to “present a hazard to runners yet to pass this point”.
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