This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-49564997
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Alison Lapper's son Parys 'bullied at school' before death | Alison Lapper's son Parys 'bullied at school' before death |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Artist Alison Lapper has hit out at "appalling" mental health care after revealing school bullies contributed to her son's struggles before his death. | Artist Alison Lapper has hit out at "appalling" mental health care after revealing school bullies contributed to her son's struggles before his death. |
| Parys Lapper was 19 when his body was found in a Sussex hotel last month. | Parys Lapper was 19 when his body was found in a Sussex hotel last month. |
| His mother posed nude while pregnant with him for a piece of artwork which was mounted on the fourth plinth in London's Trafalgar Square in 2005. | His mother posed nude while pregnant with him for a piece of artwork which was mounted on the fourth plinth in London's Trafalgar Square in 2005. |
| Ms Lapper was born with no arms and shortened legs, which she said became an issue for her son at school. | Ms Lapper was born with no arms and shortened legs, which she said became an issue for her son at school. |
| She told BBC Radio 4's Today programme Parys's mental health problems began when he started at secondary school in Sussex and pupils would give him strange looks because of her disability. | She told BBC Radio 4's Today programme Parys's mental health problems began when he started at secondary school in Sussex and pupils would give him strange looks because of her disability. |
| "The teenage years kicked in. He went from a small school to a massive school which I think had an impact," she said. | "The teenage years kicked in. He went from a small school to a massive school which I think had an impact," she said. |
| "We all know teenage years are hard; they change. I could just see my happy kid just disappearing in front of my eyes and not knowing what to do. | "We all know teenage years are hard; they change. I could just see my happy kid just disappearing in front of my eyes and not knowing what to do. |
| "I know he got into a fight and he punched someone because they said something about him or myself. | "I know he got into a fight and he punched someone because they said something about him or myself. |
| "That wasn't Parys. He didn't go around punching people but obviously that triggered something." | "That wasn't Parys. He didn't go around punching people but obviously that triggered something." |
| Parys was sectioned at 17 years of age and was sent to Sevenoaks in Kent for treatment. | |
| Ms Lapper says she tried to have him moved back closer to her home in Sussex but he was moved to an anorexia unit instead. | Ms Lapper says she tried to have him moved back closer to her home in Sussex but he was moved to an anorexia unit instead. |
| 'Heartbroken' | 'Heartbroken' |
| "What good is that to someone who doesn't have anorexia?" she said. | "What good is that to someone who doesn't have anorexia?" she said. |
| "There are no provisions for young people who are suffering from mental health problems. | "There are no provisions for young people who are suffering from mental health problems. |
| "The people who worked with him tried their best but the facilities out there are appalling." | "The people who worked with him tried their best but the facilities out there are appalling." |
| Ms Lapper said she had been with her son just days before he died. His funeral was held on Thursday. | Ms Lapper said she had been with her son just days before he died. His funeral was held on Thursday. |
| She said: "I miss him. I'm absolutely heartbroken. I feel like he has been let down." | She said: "I miss him. I'm absolutely heartbroken. I feel like he has been let down." |
| Follow BBC South East on Facebook, on Twitter, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk. | Follow BBC South East on Facebook, on Twitter, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk. |