The Blackout

The mother of Archie Battersbee has told his inquest that she believed his death was accidental.

Archie, 12, died in August when his Life Support was withdrawn following his parents' legal battle with the NHS hospital treating him.

He was found unconscious at The Family home in Southend, Essex, on 7 April Last Year by His Mother , Hollie Dance.

The Court also heard evidence Archie had shared messages with others discussing self-harm and suicide.

Ms Dance told Essex's senior coroner Lincoln Brookes that she was unaware of the messages.

Asked how she thought her son died, she told the inquest on Tuesday: " I think he climbed on the banister and probably fell, causing serious injury to his neck, resulting in unconsciousness. "

She added that Archie " thought he was The Next Spider-Man" and would often climb on things.

It was her belief, She Said , that Archie's death was an " accident".

Mr Brookes said: " The Police found he had shared some thoughts with others online or in a WhatsApp group. How were you when you read that? "

Ms Dance replied: " Heartbroken, very surprised. . if there were any marks on his body I would have seen them. "

She also told the inquest Archie was the " apple of my eye" " well-loved" and " protected".

Archie after A Number of courts agreed with doctors that stopping treatment was in Archie's best interest.

Ms Dance described finding her son's body before running outside and screaming for help.

She Said : " I was crying hysterically, I was saying 'please don't leave mummy, I love you Little Man '".

" I repeated that over and over, I just didn't want him to Leave Me . "

Her son had been affected by The Separation of his parents and had been bullied at school leading to him being removed from mainstream education, She Said .

He loved gymnastics and mixed Martial Arts , with his first fight scheduled weeks after he was injured.

His Mother said he was " looking forward" to The Fight and Family Members had told her " he wasn't down, just a bit bored" in The Weeks before The Incident .

Ms Dance has previously said he may have been taking part in an online challenge and suffered brain damage.

" I still don't know if Archie was trying The Blackout challenge on April 7 or before, I still don't know what he was watching on TikTok, " She Said .

She added: " He hated bullying and loud shouting. I can see that he might possibly be influenced, even though he knew right from wrong, if that's what peers and Social Media were telling him to do so. I fear that's what was prompted. "

At a pre-inquest hearing in November, Mr Brookes said there was " no evidence" to substantiate that Archie had been taking part in an online challenge.

The inquest, expected to last Two Days , continues.

Source of news: bbc.com