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Exclusive: Family moved out of death house after plea from Sheffield mum
Devastating memories: Mum Lisa Brown brands Sheffield Council heartless. Photo: Steve Parkin.
A HEARTBROKEN mum haunted by the death of her schoolboy son has today been offered a new home to help her family rebuild their shattered life - thanks to The Star, writes Claire Lewis.
Lisa Brown, aged 39, discovered the body of her 13-year-old son Ritchie Allsop in their flat on School Road, High Green.
She says devastating memories come flooding back every time she steps into their home.
Her 11-year-old daughter Skye, who was with her when they found Ritchie, also cannot live there any longer.
Lisa branded Sheffield Council ‘heartless’ for failing to find her a new home where she can rebuild her shattered family without Ritchie, a pupil at Ecclesfield School.
But today after The Star highlighted her plight, the council has agreed to move her,
The mother and daughter, along with Lisa’s 17-year-old son Jamie, are staying with a family friend who already has three daughters and a son.
The grieving family asked to be rehomed by Sheffield Council - but six weeks on from Ritchie’s death on December 30 they had still not been offered an alternative property.
Now they have been given a house in Chapeltown.
Lisa, who believes Ritchie’s death was an accident, said: “It is too distressing to go home.
“I have been back twice to collect some clothes but that’s it. Every time I step through the door all I can see is Ritchie in his room on the day we found him.”
Lisa, who wears Ritchie’s photo in a locket and his picture as the screensaver on her mobile, said: “We will never, ever, get over it, but at least in a new home we would stand a chance of being able to try to move forward.
Lisa, a part-time bar supervisor, gave the council four areas she would move to - High Green, Chapeltown, Burncross and Grenoside - where she has friends, family and a support network.
“Ritchie meant the world to me,” said Lisa. “He was born three months prematurely - he couldn’t wait to get here and he lived life at that pace. He was full of life and fun.
“He idolised his big brother Jamie and told him everything, so I know he never meant to kill himself, and that it was a tragic accident.
“There have been rumours that he was being bullied, but he would have told Jamie that and he never said anything. He was popular and had lots of friends at school.
“He was polite and well mannered and I will never get over losing him, but having our own space away from where he died would be a step in the right direction.”
For full reaction and council response see The Star tomorrow.
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Weather for Sheffield
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: East
