THE mum of a teenage boy given a lethal morphine tablet by his dad has won her battle to bury her son's ashes in time for Christmas.

Kerrie Backhouse has now launched a campaign to close a legal loophole which allows killers to dictate how their children should be laid to rest from behind bars.


Kye Backhouse Furness Academy student Kye Backhouse died after taking the drug, given to him by his father Kevin Morton, when he complained of a headache on October 8 last year.

But since the 13-year-old’s tragic death, Kye’s remains have lain in Little and Caine funeral home, Barrow, after Morton, 49, denied Kye’s mum her wish to have a lasting place of rest for her son in Barrow.

On Saturday, 13 months after the youngster died, she was able to collect his ashes and bring them home in time for Christmas – after a legal firm offered their help.

The 43-year-old said: “It means so much to me. I would like to thank everyone who supported me.”

Morton was jailed for four years after admitting the manslaughter of Kye.

Kye, described as a “funny, loving boy”, had been at the home he shared with his dad in Ewan Close, Barrow, when he complained he wasn’t feeling well and had a headache.
Kevin Morton

Morton did not want to go to the shop to buy some medicine suitable for Kye as it was raining and he was wearing his pyjamas. However he had one tablet left from four 200mg Zomorph tablets he had bought on the black market locally, which he gave to Kye.

That night Kye and Morton – who had taken a cocktail of prescription drugs – slept on the sofa until Morton was woken by the alarm on his phone at 6.30am. He threw Kye’s school uniform towards him and went out to buy some electricity from a local shop. But when he returned Kye was still motionless and Morton rang 999.

But despite being behind bars for causing the teenager’s death the killer still had equal rights to determine what happened to his son.

Miss Backhouse planned to scatter Kye’s ashes in Barrow, but when Morton refused, she suggested they scattered them at the Etihad Stadium – the home of Kye and his dad’s favourite football team Manchester City. But Morton – who even had a say in the planning of Kye’s funeral – refused all her requests, insisting his son’s ashes were to go alongside his parents – who Kye had barely known.

A year after losing her son, Kerrie – who has since moved out of Barrow – was still forced to visit her son in the funeral home while Morton denied her wishes from behind bars.

Miss Backhouse started a campaign for a change in the law to withdraw a parent’s rights when they have been responsible for their child’s death.

Marilyn Stowe, senior partner at Stowe Family Law, was so moved by the story she offered her firm’s services for nothing.

She said: “We had to help. This little boy needed to be laid to rest. It was a privilege.”

The grieving mum is continuing to campaign for a change in the law so no parent has to go through the ordeal she has suffered.

She said: “I am calling for the unjust legal loophole – which allows killers like Kevin to dictate how their children should be laid to rest from behind bars – to be closed.”

To support the campaign, visit:  https://www.change.org/p/rt-hon-david-cameron-mp-deny-killer-parents-rights-over-their-children-s-remains

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