Archie Battersbee, 12, died accidentally in a ‘prank or experiment’ that went wrong and had not intended to harm himself, coroner concludes

• Essex’s senior coroner Lincoln Brookes described Archie as a ‘complex’ child
• His cause of death was recorded as catastrophic hypoxic ischemic brain injury

Archie Battersbee died accidentally in a ‘prank or experiment’ that went wrong and had not intended to harm himself, a coroner has concluded.

Essex’s senior coroner Lincoln Brookes said Archie died from a ‘catastrophic ischemic brain injury’ after a ‘prank’ intended to shock his family ‘went wrong’. 

The 12-year-old’s life support was withdrawn on August 6, 2022, after his parents, Hollie Dance and Paul Battersbee, failed in bids to overturn a High Court ruling that doctors could lawfully do so. 

Judges were told Miss Dance found Archie unconscious at home in Southend, Essex, on April 7, last year.

Essex’s senior coroner Lincoln Brookes described Archie as a ‘complex’ child

Archie’s mother Holly Dance told the inquest she believes her son died after accidentally falling from the bannister at their home, causing a neck injury

He said Archie ‘hadn’t intended to harm himself but had done so inadvertently during a prank or experiment that went wrong’ after he ‘put his head in a noose or put a cord round his neck’.

Describing Archie as a ‘complex child’, Mr Brookes said he carried out the prank ‘without necessarily a good reason’ and that 12-year-old boys don’t always have ‘reasons’.

He added: ‘I think it may just be a case of curiosity – what does it feel like?’ 

Mr Brookes said ‘something very similar happened the night before’ when Archie’s sister saw him putting a cord round his head to try to pull a door closed.

He added: ‘This was an accident that went wrong, either a prank to shock his mum as she came out of the bedroom to find him doing something shocking or reckless, or just experimenting to see what it was like to do this.

‘It probably went wrong very quickly and very badly.’ 

The coroner said it was ‘possible’ Archie had been taking part in an online challenge but he had not seen evidence of this.

He said a conclusion of suicide was ruled out, adding: ‘It seems to me that while there were periods of low mood and very low mood during the previous 12 months, in the days preceding his death I haven’t received any evidence of that.

‘He was full of energy, he was very physical, he was at times very bored.

‘He liked to shock those around him, perhaps even more so those he cared about.

‘He liked to trick, he liked sometimes to carry out acts, or some might describe them as stunts, that would alarm people.’

Mr Brookes also said Archie shared with peers and his mother through Whatsapp messages that he was ‘very low’ and ‘questioning whether it was all worth it’.  

Archie’s parents Hollie Dance and Paul Battersbee fought vigorously to keep him on life support, which was finally turned off on August 6 last year

Archie’s medical cause of death was recorded as catastrophic hypoxic ischemic brain injury, secondary to strangulation. 

Detective Sergeant Tiffany Gore said Archie had also written Whatsapp messages about being depressed and thoughts of self-harm. 

In one, he wrote: ‘That’s why I’m so depressed all the time and I don’t cut my wrists but I have tried and thought about killing myself.’ 

Detective Inspector Sarah Weeks said: ‘On the day of the incident Archie was looking forward to his first MMA fight and had chosen the music for his entrance.

‘It may not be possible to establish what motivated Archie to place the cord round his neck.’

Miss Gore earlier told the hearing that officers found a voice note dated April 3 on Archie’s phone. 

The officer said that in the audio, a young male voice, said: ‘Oi Archie, do you know why you’re angry? ‘Because your mum wanted you to be an abortion.’ 

Miss Gore said police recovered 695 images and 282 videos from Archie’s phone. 

She added none of these showed Archie with anything around his head or neck, or participating in any challenges. 

Archie’s older half sister Lauren Summers said that the day before the incident Archie was playing, trying to pull a door closed with a cord attached to the top of his head.

For confidential support call the Samaritans on 116123 or visit a local Samaritans branch, see www.smaritans.org for details 

Archie’s elder brother Tom, 22, went to the hospital every day to visit him and tried to get him to respond

Archie with his mother Hollie Dance (left), brother Tom Summers and sister Lauren Summers

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