Thousands raised for funeral of four-year-old boy killed by gravestone in Rawtenstall Cemetery
The youngster, who ITV News is choosing not to name to respect his family's wishes, was at Rawtenstall Cemetery in Lancashire on Saturday, 5 July, when he was injured.
Emergency services were called but the boy could not be saved, Lancashire Police said.
More than 400 people have donated to a fundraiser on Go Fund Me, set up by relative, Donna Miller, to help pay for the child's funeral.
Ms Miller said his parents were "devastated" to have lost their son in a 'freak accident", adding: "All donations no matter how small will help this young family massively and help them deal with this unexpected tragedy.'
In a statement, Lancashire Police said: 'As many of you are already aware there was a tragic incident in Rawtenstall yesterday and we just wanted to give you the latest.
'We were called to Rawtenstall Cemetery at 1pm yesterday (July 5) following reports a gravestone had fallen onto a child.
'Tragically, and despite the best efforts of the emergency services, the boy sadly died. Our thoughts are with his loved ones at this devastating time.
"His death is not being treated as suspicious and a file will be passed onto HM Coroner in due course.'
The police also added that the boy's family have requested privacy and that he has not been named publicly to respect this wish.
Rossendale Borough Council, responsible for the cemetery in Rawtenstall, said in a statement: 'We are deeply saddened by the tragic death of a young child at Rawtenstall Cemetery today.
'Our thoughts are with the family at this devastating time. Rossendale Borough Council is working with all relevant agencies to understand the circumstances of this incident.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
ITV News
14 hours ago
- ITV News
Thousands raised for funeral of four-year-old boy killed by gravestone in Rawtenstall Cemetery
Hundreds of people have donated towards funeral costs for a four-year-old boy killed in a 'freak accident' when a gravestone fell on him in a cemetery. The youngster, who ITV News is choosing not to name to respect his family's wishes, was at Rawtenstall Cemetery in Lancashire on Saturday, 5 July, when he was injured. Emergency services were called but the boy could not be saved, Lancashire Police said. More than 400 people have donated to a fundraiser on Go Fund Me, set up by relative, Donna Miller, to help pay for the child's funeral. Ms Miller said his parents were "devastated" to have lost their son in a 'freak accident", adding: "All donations no matter how small will help this young family massively and help them deal with this unexpected tragedy.' In a statement, Lancashire Police said: 'As many of you are already aware there was a tragic incident in Rawtenstall yesterday and we just wanted to give you the latest. 'We were called to Rawtenstall Cemetery at 1pm yesterday (July 5) following reports a gravestone had fallen onto a child. 'Tragically, and despite the best efforts of the emergency services, the boy sadly died. Our thoughts are with his loved ones at this devastating time. "His death is not being treated as suspicious and a file will be passed onto HM Coroner in due course.' The police also added that the boy's family have requested privacy and that he has not been named publicly to respect this wish. Rossendale Borough Council, responsible for the cemetery in Rawtenstall, said in a statement: 'We are deeply saddened by the tragic death of a young child at Rawtenstall Cemetery today. 'Our thoughts are with the family at this devastating time. Rossendale Borough Council is working with all relevant agencies to understand the circumstances of this incident.'
The Independent
18 hours ago
- The Independent
Parents battle charity for £100k donations to dead son to be spent on terminally ill daughter
Parents who lost their nine-year-old son to cancer - only to learn his little sister is also terminally ill - are in a court battle with a charity over £100,000 of donations originally made for him. Lego-loving Kyle Morrison died in 2020 after being diagnosed with an incurable brain cancer, leaving parents, Craig Evison and Victoria Morrison, behind. Before his death, wellwishers had donated thousands to pay for treatment in the US and "memory making" experiences for the family, but Covid intervened and he never travelled. The couple went on to have a daughter, Ruby-Rose, now two, but were devastated to learn that she too was seriously ill with a genetic metabolic disease and was unlikely to live beyond this summer. They then began a GoFundMe page - under the name "Ruby-Rose's Making Memories Fund" - in an attempt to take her to Disney in Florida to meet her beloved Minnie Mouse. But when they tried to claim almost £100,000 left from the money donated for Kyle, they were told it would not be paid - because Ruby-Rose doesn't have cancer, but instead a different but equally devastating condition. The parents, of Cheshunt, Herts, are now fighting the charity which holds the money, Gold Geese, at the High Court, saying the money should be spent to benefit their little girl. However, the charity says it cannot pay out, because the donations were made for Kyle when he was a cancer patient and can now only be spent on trials or another child in a "similar" situation to him. In a day-long trial, judge Deputy Master Marc Glover was told how Kyle was diagnosed with a rare cancer - diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DPIG) - in 2019 when he was only eight. Attempts to raise money for his treatment and to help him make the most of his days began with a Facebook campaign through the group One Pound Warriors, which encourages donors to give small but regular sums to charitable causes. However, the group then passed on Kyle's cause to Essex-based Gold Geese, a charity which works for the benefit of cancer-stricken children. The money flooded in and Kyle was due to go to the US for treatment in late 2020, but Covid prevented his travel and by the time restrictions were eased, he was too ill. He died in October of that year. The grieving couple, who also have another son, then went on to have their daughter, Ruby-Rose, in 2022, but she too was diagnosed with a devastating illness known as Megdel syndrome, a genetic metabolic condition characterised by high levels of acid in the body, which is usually fatal in early infanthood. Representing themselves, the couple told the judge that she was unlikely to live beyond this summer, but is continuing to fight her illness. Telling Deputy Master Glover that they believe the money raised for Kyle should now go to their daughter, Mrs Morrison said: "We just want the money to make as many memories as we can." However, for the charity, barrister William Moffett said the money can only be used for the purposes it was donated by the wellwishers - children with cancer, and not other diseases. And a contract which the couple agreed stated that, if the money wasn't spent on their son's treatment before he died, it would go to another DIPG trial or the cause of a child in a "similar" position. However, he said there was no way donors could have meant for the money to benefit Ruby-Rose, as she wasn't even born at the time that it was pledged. "Her illness and the desire to assist this family couldn't have informed the donors when they were giving in 2020," he argued. He continued: "Gold Geese is a cancer charity, it's on its logo. "There are other charities whose objects would include assisting someone with Ruby-Rose's condition, but it wouldn't be proper for Gold Geese to stray outside the illness of child cancer. "The charity is trying to do what they're legally obliged to do within the ambit of their purpose. "If the court were to tell us otherwise, they would have authority, but we don't think it's the right answer here. "It's just an unfortunate fact that Mr Evison and Mrs Morrison have a child who is ill with a different illness." However, the couple insisted that the contract allows money to be spent for Ruby-Rose's benefit, since they believe she falls into the definition of a "similar" case, as stated in the agreement. And they said that, although they had agreed the contract, the situation changed when their little girl was also diagnosed with a life-limiting illness. "This is a mother and a father with a broken heart," said Mr Evison. "We are five years down the line now. Things have totally changed. The world has changed in a harsh way. "We couldn't predict what was going to happen, we are humans. Kyle sadly passed. His sister Ruby-Rose is in an extremely rare and a very similar situation. "If she makes it another [month], she has outlived the hospital's expectancy. We are just trying to have that chance to make these memories while there's still time and we physically can." He also said that he continues to promote the cause of childhood cancer and that, if any of the donors had specifically stated they wanted their money to go on research, the couple would not object. During a day of argument in a hearing conducted via a video link, the judge described Mr Evison and Mrs Morrison as a "courageous family" who had suffered devastatingly bad luck. But he added: "Part of the court's function is to ascertain the intention of the donors. The numbers are large. There are at least 1,300 different payers. "Was it an intention that it should go to a charity for people other than your son Kyle or was it that it should go to Kyle so that on his passing it would go to you to use as you like, including in relation to Ruby?" Judgment on whether the money can be spent on Ruby-Rose will be delivered at a later date.
STV News
19 hours ago
- STV News
Australian woman guilty of triple murder after death cap mushroom lunch
Erin Patterson has been found guilty of triple murder after serving her estranged husband's family poisonous mushrooms, as ITV News' Fred Dimbleby reports Australian woman Erin Patterson has been found guilty of murdering three of her estranged husband's relatives by deliberately serving them poisonous death cap mushrooms. The jury returned a verdict after six days of deliberations, following a nine-week trial that gripped Australia and media worldwide. She faces life in prison and will be sentenced at a later date, although no hearing has been scheduled yet. Patterson showed no emotion as the verdicts came back guilty, but blinked rapidly as they were read. She was also found guilty of attempting to murder Ian Wilkinson, who survived the meal. The deaths of Don and Gail Patterson and Heather Wilkinson shocked the quiet Australian town of Leongatha, Victoria, and quickly captured both national and international attention. At the centre of the tragedy was a seemingly innocuous family lunch on July 29, 2023, hosted by Erin Patterson, who had invited her former in-laws, Don and Gail (the parents of her estranged husband, Simon Patterson), along with Gail's sister, Heather Wilkinson and Heather's husband, Ian. Patterson, who shares two children with Simon, prepared a homemade beef wellington, a meal that would soon become the focus of a months-long murder investigation. The dish allegedly contained death cap mushrooms, one of the world's deadliest fungi. All four guests fell critically ill within 24 hours. Three later died in hospital, while Ian Wilkinson required a liver transplant after spending nearly two months recovering, including time in intensive care. Ian Wilkinson (left) was the only survivor of the lunch which killed his wife Heather (left) and Don and Gail Patterson (middle). / Credit: 7 News Patterson initially denied wrongdoing, claiming she accidentally used a mix of mushrooms sourced from an Asian grocery store and dried fungi, which she said were gifted by a friend. However, police alleged inconsistencies in her account, including the disposal of a food dehydrator and deleted digital records, which became key points of scrutiny during the trial. Throughout the proceedings, the case stirred debate across Australia. The lack of clear motive, paired with public fascination and tabloid fervour, made the trial one of the most closely followed in recent Australian criminal history. What were the key moments in the trial? The prosecution alleged Patterson deliberately served a poisoned meal to her estranged in-laws and extended family. They argue she prepared a special untainted portion for herself. The defence argued the poisonings were a tragic accident, claiming Patterson unknowingly used contaminated mushrooms, became ill herself, and panicked afterwards, out of fear she would be wrongly blamed. Here are the key points of evidence the trial discussed: Food dehydrator : Patterson purchased a food dehydrator on April 28, 2023, just two hours after a known sighting of death cap mushrooms was posted online near Loch. The prosecution alleges she saw the post and collected mushrooms that day. Patterson testified she purchased the dehydrator to preserve and dry mushrooms, which she regularly stored in containers in her pantry to use later in cooking. : Patterson purchased a food dehydrator on April 28, 2023, just two hours after a known sighting of death cap mushrooms was posted online near Loch. The prosecution alleges she saw the post and collected mushrooms that day. Patterson testified she purchased the dehydrator to preserve and dry mushrooms, which she regularly stored in containers in her pantry to use later in cooking. Phone location: Cell tower data places her near Outtrim on May 22, 2023, shortly after death caps were recorded growing there. The prosecution claims this supports the theory she foraged for mushrooms twice during the short toxic season. Patterson admitted to using a mixture of store-bought mushrooms and dried ones from her pantry, but insists she never intentionally included toxic mushrooms and did not forage near Loch or Outtrim. The defence argues that mobile tower data can be imprecise and may show signals from within her home, undermining the claim that she traveled to foraging locations. Cell tower data places her near Outtrim on May 22, 2023, shortly after death caps were recorded growing there. The prosecution claims this supports the theory she foraged for mushrooms twice during the short toxic season. Patterson admitted to using a mixture of store-bought mushrooms and dried ones from her pantry, but insists she never intentionally included toxic mushrooms and did not forage near Loch or Outtrim. The defence argues that mobile tower data can be imprecise and may show signals from within her home, undermining the claim that she traveled to foraging locations. Fake cancer: Patterson admitted during the trial that she lied to the lunch guests and lured them to the meal under the pretext that she had cancer and needed their support whilst she underwent surgery. The prosecution argues this lie was invented to cover her true motivations and reduce suspicion, suggesting she never expected them to survive the meal. The defence claims Patterson in reality was making plans to have gastric bypass surgery, in a bid to take control over concerns she had about her weight but was too embarrassed to share this with her guests. Patterson admitted during the trial that she lied to the lunch guests and lured them to the meal under the pretext that she had cancer and needed their support whilst she underwent surgery. The prosecution argues this lie was invented to cover her true motivations and reduce suspicion, suggesting she never expected them to survive the meal. The defence claims Patterson in reality was making plans to have gastric bypass surgery, in a bid to take control over concerns she had about her weight but was too embarrassed to share this with her guests. Different plates: Survivor Ian Wilkinson told the court that all guests were served on grey plates, while Patterson used an orange one – implying she knew not to eat the poisoned food. Patterson claimed she prepared only one batch of beef wellington and ate the same meal as her guests, she denied reserving a safe portion for herself. She claimed she does not own grey plates. Survivor Ian Wilkinson told the court that all guests were served on grey plates, while Patterson used an orange one – implying she knew not to eat the poisoned food. Patterson claimed she prepared only one batch of beef wellington and ate the same meal as her guests, she denied reserving a safe portion for herself. She claimed she does not own grey plates. Orange cake: After guests left, Patterson claims she ate large amounts of orange cake brought by her former mother-in-law, Gail Patterson, claiming she struggles with an eating disorder. Prosecutors challenged her claim that she made herself vomit afterwards, arguing that self‑induced vomiting would not eliminate the lethal amanitin toxin. Patterson told the court that she started to develop gastro-like symptoms hours after the lunch and took herself to hospital to receive fluids two days later. After guests left, Patterson claims she ate large amounts of orange cake brought by her former mother-in-law, Gail Patterson, claiming she struggles with an eating disorder. Prosecutors challenged her claim that she made herself vomit afterwards, arguing that self‑induced vomiting would not eliminate the lethal amanitin toxin. Patterson told the court that she started to develop gastro-like symptoms hours after the lunch and took herself to hospital to receive fluids two days later. Withheld information: When Patterson was hospitalised with symptoms, she initially did not inform doctors that any remnants of foraged mushrooms may have been in the meal, something prosecutors say could have helped save lives. She testified that she did not immediately connect her own gastrointestinal symptoms with mushroom poisoning. When Patterson was hospitalised with symptoms, she initially did not inform doctors that any remnants of foraged mushrooms may have been in the meal, something prosecutors say could have helped save lives. She testified that she did not immediately connect her own gastrointestinal symptoms with mushroom poisoning. CCTV disposal: On August 2, days after the fatal lunch, Patterson was seen on CCTV dumping the dehydrator. Prosecutors argue this was a deliberate attempt to destroy crucial evidence. Forensic analysis revealed remnants of death cap mushrooms inside the appliance. Patterson says she discarded and lied about the dehydrator not to hide evidence but out of panic after child protection services contacted her, fearing it could be used to justify taking her children away. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
