Archie Battersbee’s mother says ‘party’ at her dead 12-year-old son’s graveside was to mark her birthday as she denies claims of music and alcohol and says she only had gazebo because it was raining
- The youngster suffered brain damage and was taken off life support in August
- Hollie Dance denies claims that there was music and alcohol on Friday
- Complaints were made to Southend Council by residents about the ‘party’
- She said her family got ‘death threats’ and a ‘mock noose’ was found on grave
The mother of Archie Battersbee is adamant that a ‘party’ at her dead 12-year-old son’s graveside was to mark her birthday and did not have music or alcohol.
Hollie Dance says she only had gazebo on Friday in the cemetery because a forecast said it would rain after complaints were made about her event to Southend Council.
She said: ‘If you call a Starbucks coffee and a box of milk chocolates that somebody bought me for my birthday ‘partying’, then we are guilty. Otherwise it’s nonsense.’
Ms Dance, who fought to keep Archie on life support for months but ultimately lost in court, also claimed to the Southend Echo that people sent her and her family ‘death threats’ and a ‘mock noose’ was put on his grave to ‘torment’ them following the complaints.
Archie was laid to rest earlier this month with his mother then paying tribute to the ‘best boy ever’.
During the service, a representative of Southend Gymnastics Club – which Archie went to – recalled the first time she met him as a toddler with his ‘gorgeous eyes and bright blonde hair’ and ‘the cheekiest smile I have ever seen
Archie’s mother, Hollie Dance, and other members of his family all wore purple ribbons with the words ‘Archie’s Army’ written on them
She said people have been targetting her family since the ‘party’ and have left items at his grave.
‘We are 100 per cent being targeted and I have even had death threats,’ Ms Dance said. ‘One of the worst things that has been done was somebody left a mock noose made out of plastic.
‘They are absolutely tormenting the life out of us.’
The gazebo which was put up due to rain was taken down subsequently.
Southend councillor Martin Terry, responsible for public protection, said in a statement to the MailOnline: ‘We understand that people will always grieve in different ways when they lose a loved one.
‘We would remind all families with loved ones in the cemetery of the conditions of when they purchased the plot, and to remind them that the cemetery is a public space that many people use to visit their loved ones, and as such we want to ensure that it remains respectful for all.’
Archie’s glittery silver coffin arrived at St Mary’s Church in Prittlewell, Southend, on Tuesday September 13, flanked by dozens of members of his family, all wearing purple ribbons and other purple items.
During the service, a video of the youngster singing One Call Away by Charlie Puth was played, before the choir performed a rendition of the song. ‘One Sweet Day’ by Mariah Carey was also sung.
Archie’s mother tearfully addressed the congregation before someone shouted ‘we love you Hollie, we’re so proud of you’ and the crowd broke into spontaneous applause.
The Christian Legal Centre, a campaign group which has supported the family, said Reverend Paul Mackay will oversee a service featuring music and poetry
The 12-year-old who was at the centre of a life-support treatment fight during the summer, died on August 6
Hollie Dance addressing the congregation during her son’s funeral at St Mary’s Church in Prittlewell
During the service, a video of Archie singing One Call Away by Charlie Puth was played, before the choir performed a rendition of the song
Ms Dance said, from the front of the church: ‘He was just such a beautiful little boy and just he made the most of absolutely everything that he did. He lived a very fulfilled and happy life. He was very, very energetic.’
She continued: ‘He was the best little boy ever, just perfect. There were a few little challenges along the way but he was just moulding into such a perfect little man. I love him so much.’
The song Someone You Loved by pop star Lewis Capaldi was played over speakers, and there was poetry, hymns, a bible reading and a video montage of photographs and film of Archie, including some of him doing somersaults.
Flowers arranged on top of the coffin read ‘son’, with others reading ‘Archie’s army’.
During the service, a representative of Southend Gymnastics Club – which Archie went to – recalled the first time she met him as a toddler with his ‘gorgeous eyes and bright blonde hair’ and ‘the cheekiest smile I have ever seen’
The media are attending Archie’s funeral at the permission of Archie’s family. Pictured is the scene inside St Mary’s Church in Prittlewell
St Mary’s Church in Prittlewell, where Archie’s funeral is taking place, dates back to the 7th-century when a small Anglo-Saxon chapel was built on the site
Family members wearing purple ribbons make there way through the churchyard behind Archie’s silver coffin
Archie’s glittery silver coffin is carried by undertakers out of St Mary’s Church following his funeral
The coffin is taken from St Mary’s Church, Prittlewell, Southend-on-Sea, Essex after his funeral
She said he showed ‘all of the courage, bravery and determination that he had shown in the past few months’ and that he ‘always had a smile on his face’.
A High Court judge ruled in July that doctors could lawfully stop providing life-support treatment to the youngster, who suffered brain damage in April after a suspected TikTok challenge at his home in Southend-on-Sea, Essex.
Doctors stopped treatment in early August after Archie’s mother, Hollie Dance, and father, Paul Battersbee, failed in bids to overturn Mr Justice Hayden’s ruling.
Judges were told Ms Dance found Archie unconscious with a ligature over his head on April 7.
She thinks he may have been taking part in an online challenge. The youngster did not regain consciousness.
During the service, a representative of Southend Gymnastics Club – which Archie went to – recalled the first time she met him as a toddler with his ‘gorgeous eyes and bright blonde hair’ and ‘the cheekiest smile I have ever seen’
The huge number of mourners at Archie’s funeral meant there were not enough copies of the order of service to go round
Doctors treating Archie at the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel, east London, thought he was brain-stem dead and said continued life-support treatment was not in his best interests.
Bosses at Barts Health NHS Trust, which runs the hospital, asked a High Court judge to make decisions on what medical moves were in Archie’s best interests.
Mrs Justice Arbuthnot initially considered the case and concluded that Archie was dead.
But Court of Appeal judges upheld a challenge, by Archie’s parents, against Mrs Justice Arbuthnot’s ruling and said evidence should be reviewed by a different High Court judge.
Mr Justice Hayden then ruled, after a further hearing, that ending treatment would be in Archie’s best interests
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