Archie Battersbee’s mum hits back after being trolled over party at son’s grave – saying ‘I just wanted to be with him’
ARCHIE Battersbee's heartbroken mum has revealed she was trolled for having a birthday party at her son's grave.
Hollie Dance said she has been "tormented" by online abuse following the death of the 12-year-old.
Archie died on August 6 when his life support was withdrawn despite a landmark legal battle to keep him alive.
Mum Hollie had discovered him unconscious at home in Essex and believes he was taking part in an online challenge.
The mum has now told how trolls have been leaving sick items at Archie's grave after he was laid to rest on September 13.
They include a fake noose after some cruel sceptics claimed the teen had attempted to take his own life, the reports.
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Hollie said: "We are 100 per cent being targeted and I have even had death threats,” Ms Dance claimed.
“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.”
Hollie had held a party on Friday at her son's grave to mark her birthday with a gazebo and some family members.
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But complaints were made to Southend Council claiming the family had been partying to loud music.
Defending herself, Hollie said she just wanted to be with Archie.
She added: "There have been complaints that we were playing music, which we did not do at any point, and we have been accused of partying, eating and drinking,” 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.”
Archie's parents launched a mammoth legal battle to keep their son alive as they vowed to fight to the end.
But they lost their fight at every hurdle, with judges ruling that keeping his life support switched on was not in the youngster's "best interests".
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Southend councillor Martin Terry, responsible for public protection, said: “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.”
