Police Investigate Death of Nine-Year-Old Boy Injured as Infant

A new police investigation has been initiated following the death in hospital of a boy who sustained blindness and brain damage after being assaulted by his father when he was an infant. Bradley Nelson, aged nine, became severely disabled and lost the ability to walk subsequent to an assault by Darren Spreadbury in April 2016, when Bradley was seven months old. Although born “fit and well,” Bradley subsequently received diagnoses of cerebral palsy and epilepsy. Approximately nine years later, Bradley, a resident of Whitby, passed away at Scarborough General Hospital last month, having suffered a cardiac arrest. In May 2018, Spreadbury received a four-year prison sentence after medical scans confirmed that Bradley’s brain injuries resulted from shaken baby syndrome. Bradley’s mother, Sharon Boocock, stated: “Bradley was blind because he shook him that hard, he snapped his optic nerve and he had a can of Coke’s worth of blood between his brain and his skull.” Medical professionals subsequently concluded that he had sustained a brain injury described as “unexplained and non-accidental,” which led to Spreadbury’s apprehension. Spreadbury admitted guilt to the charge of causing grievous bodily harm with intent, resulting in a 10-year restraining order in addition to his imprisonment. According to his mother, in the period after the assault, Bradley required “24-hour care” and was incapable of walking, speaking, or self-feeding. He endured multiple surgical procedures and experienced subsequent complications and infections. Ms. Boocock recounted that her life during that time was dedicated to remaining at home to care for Bradley. She stated, “I couldn’t go anywhere after 17:00 because Bradley would come home from school and that was me housebound.” She described balancing her work as a bartender to earn “whatever money she could” and mentioned that she was “learning to live again.” The previous month, Bradley was sent home from school following complaints of sleepiness. He was admitted to the hospital, where Ms. Boocock and her partner, Jonny Nelson, were informed that he had experienced a seizure after losing consciousness. Bradley passed away on October 22 after experiencing cardiac arrest. Sharon remarked that, despite his circumstances, Bradley had been “always smiling and happy.” The police notified her last week that an inquiry into the cause of his death was underway. A spokesperson for North Yorkshire Police stated: “We have been made aware of the death of a nine-year-old boy from the Whitby area, who sadly passed away in hospital on October 22. The child had complex medical needs and an investigation into the cause of his death is currently under way, reflecting due process in such circumstances.” Sharon’s friends have initiated a fundraiser on GoFundMe to assist with Bradley’s funeral expenses. The campaign has accumulated nearly £4,000, with contributors characterizing him as the “bravest little boy.”