A 14-year-old boy has handed himself in to West Midlands Police after a video circulated on social media appearing to show a fan taunting Sunderland supporters with an image of Bradley Lowery. The incident took place during Saturday's Premier League fixture between Coventry City and Sunderland, prompting police and club officials to launch immediate inquiries.
Bradley Lowery, a devoted Sunderland supporter who was honoured by the club in May, died at the age of six in 2017 following a fight with neuroblastoma, a rare form of childhood cancer. West Midlands Police confirmed they are conducting a thorough investigation, acknowledging the deep upset and outrage the circulating footage has caused to the community and Bradley's family. The force stated that the teenager will be spoken with in due course and noted that officers are liaising with both Coventry City and Sunderland while providing updates to the family.
Gemma Lowery, Bradley's mother, released an emotional statement through the Bradley Lowery Foundation, a charity dedicated to raising funds and awareness to support children battling cancer. Describing the situation as heartbreaking, she reflected on the photo used in the video as one of her favourite memories of her son smiling and enjoying life away from gruelling cancer treatments. She noted that while her family follows Sunderland home and away and understands football banter, mocking a child who passed away from cancer is unacceptable. She added that she does not want hatred directed toward the boy, but hopes his relatives help him recognise the hurt caused.
Coventry City confirmed on Sunday that an internal investigation into the footage is underway, reiterating that offensive behaviour will not be tolerated. The club affirmed its commitment to cooperating fully with the relevant authorities, alongside Gemma Lowery's call for appropriate action to be taken as the police investigation moves forward.