A heartbroken family have finally been able to say their final goodbyes to their nine-month-old baby boy almost a year after he died in ‘unexplained circumstances’.
Mourners gathered to lay little Devon Marson-Gregory to rest after passed away just days before Christmas last year.
A lengthy-investigation was launched in a bid to find out exactly what caused his tragic death while an inquest is yet to take place meaning the funeral was delayed.
Dad Darran Gregory and mum Saamie Marson, from Lincolnshire, attended the emotional service where little Devon was transported by a horse and carriage.
The youngster’s grandmother, Tanya Gostelow, said it had been a tough year for the family but there was now a ‘sense of relief’, Lincolnshire Live reports.
She said: "We have been non-existent really. We couldn't do anything, we had everyone asking us 'when is Devon's funeral?'
"There was nothing we could do, it was just all waiting. Finally, on Wednesday in a sense it was a relief we could say goodbye.
"Under the circumstances, we did what we could do and the best we could do."
The family have now been able to lay their baby boy to rest during a service at St Nicholas Church in Boston, Lincolnshire, on Wednesday, November 4.
Coronavirus restrictions meant that there was a limit on who could attend with only 28 people permitted to enter the church.
Tanya, who is 45 and runs her own care business, said: "We had a live link but that didn't work for everybody and they missed all of that as well.
"My brothers couldn't go, Darran's half-brother couldn't go, and no friends could go.
"It was just difficult."
An emotional service was held that included Devon being transported by horse and carriage.
Tanya said: "It was beautiful. We couldn't cuddle and we all had to have face masks on.
"I rang Chris Cook's shop up two days prior [to the funeral] and amazingly they did us 30 face masks because I thought that would be touching to Devon. It said in memory of Devon."
A touching service was held that didn't leave a dry eye in the house.
Tanya read out an emotional poem and a beautifully touching eulogy was also heard.
A part of it read: "No one ever thought that they would be saying a final goodbye to our baby Devon, he seemed to be full of life and was coming on in leaps and bounds.
"His future stretched out before him, like a book waiting to be read.
"You don't expect to find yourself in a place like this on a day like today, to mark the end of a life that had hardly even started.
"But here we are saying farewell to our beautiful baby boy Devon. Our little fighter, long before his time and this doesn't feel right."
Final goodbyes were said atBostoncrematorium.
The proceedings rounded off a hugely devastating year for the entire family with Darran also losing his best friend on what should have been Devon's first birthday.
Tanya said: "St Nicholas Church was absolutely amazing.
"Darran lost his best friend Tom Hallan on Devon's birthday in February. He got to bury his friend before his son.
"The church has said when covid is over we can actually have a church service to celebrate Devon and his best friend.
"It has been a sad year. I have had to deal with cancer and that was cleared in the May, but I still had to put a smile on and do everything else."
Not having the funeral as something to look ahead to has been difficult for the family - especially Darran.
But, Tanya has said they will get through it together.
She said: "In terms of moving forward, we have somewhere to go and somewhere to sit.
"With the donations we are going to do a memorial garden for Devon and Darran said he is grieving more today because it feels real.
"We were waiting for this day to come and when it came we knew it was real.
"I wouldn't want anybody to go through what us as a family have had to deal with."
And there has been some positivity for the family, as Darran and Saamie are expecting another child.
Tanya said: "Darran and Saamie are now actually having another baby. Obviously it doesn't replace Devon but it is something to look forward to.
"The baby is due in January and they are having a girl. I am not allowed to say the name yet.”
