Ben Leonard: Mum’s ‘soul destroying’ wait for Scouts death ruling

A mother’s agonising wait for answers over her son’s death at a Scout camp has been described as “soul destroying”. Ben Leonard, 11, died in 2019 after collapsing while on a trip to the Stradbroke Island in Queensland, Australia.

His mother, Sarah Leonard, has been fighting for answers ever since, as the investigation into his death has been drawn out and delayed multiple times. She described the process as “frustrating and heart-wrenching.”

Despite the delays, Sarah remains determined to get justice for her son and to prevent similar tragedies from happening in the future. “I will not rest until I have the truth about what happened to Ben,” she said.

The Scouts organisation has pledged to cooperate fully with the investigation and have promised to make any necessary changes to ensure the safety of all participants in their programs.

As Sarah continues to wait for the final ruling on her son’s death, she hopes that by sharing her story, she can raise awareness about the importance of proper safety measures in youth organisations.

Our thoughts are with Sarah Leonard and her family during this difficult time, as they continue to seek closure and justice for Ben.