The mum of a 13-year-old boy who died after falling at a Dundee mansion says her greatest fear is that it will happen again – 20 years on from the loss of her son.
Gaynor Robertson visited the site of the former Baldovan House this week to lay flowers at the scene of the tragedy involving Jonathan Hayburn.
The teenager was left critically injured after falling from the loft area of the house while playing there.
He eventually died in hospital on his mum’s 33rd birthday – the age he would have been now.
‘Why has it taken this long?’
Gaynor, now 53, later successfully campaigned for Baldovan House to be torn down.
In recent years she has called for the demolition of nearby Strathmartine Hospital – amid fears someone could meet a similar fate at that site, which has become a target for vandals and fireraisers.
In April, plans for 212 homes at the hospital site were approved.
But Gaynor fears it could take years for derelict buildings to be cleared from the site.
She told The Courier: “I appreciate that something is finally being done but why has it taken this long?
“It’s 20 years since my son died and only now are they beginning to take action.
“There are still unsafe buildings there and will remain there for some time to come.
“I’m delighted that action is finally being taken but my worry is that it won’t all happen quickly enough.
“I’m also concerned that large parts of the former hospital remain incredibly unsafe.
“My son died at Baldovan House because it was an unsafe, derelict building.
“Is it going to take the death of another child before this is fixed and made completely safe once and for all?”
‘I will never see his grandchildren’
Gaynor says despite 20 years passing since her son’s death, it feels like yesterday.
She said: “The pain is still raw and I’m still grieving – you never stop grieving.
“I have seen Jon’s friends grow up and have families of their own.
“He never got the chance to do that. I will never see his grandchildren.
“I continue to campaign because I couldn’t bear anyone else to go through what I’ve gone through.
“Jon wasn’t doing anything wrong that day. He was just being an inquisitive boy.
“That’s what children do – if there is something to be explored they will explore it.
I’m doing it for Jon and I’m doing for lots of other children who may still be tempted to head there to explore
“As long as old and derelict buildings remain boys will still want to explore.
“As long as I’m concerned about the safety at Strathmartine I will continue to speak it.
“I’m doing it for Jon and I’m doing for lots of other children who may still be tempted to head there to explore.”
Campaigner says site security has improved
Campaigner Karen McAulay has fought to save Strathmartine Hospital from falling into disrepair for decades.
She said: “I understand this is a tragedy for Gaynor Robertson. What happened to her son was a tragedy. She has a lot of valid concerns.
“Now that development work has begun at Strathmartine Hospital I am hopeful and confident that it has already been made safer.
“There is now CCTV, security, the contractors are there 12 hours a day and work has now begun to demolish old buildings to make way for the new development.
“It wouldn’t be practical now to demolish other buildings there at this stage while work is ongoing.
“The site is sealed off so hopefully no one will be able to gain access to any part of the old hospital that may still be dangerous.”
Developer Miller Homes has declined to comment.
Strathmartine Hospital started life in the 1850s as the Baldovan Institute, an orphanage and asylum “for imbecile and idiot children”, before closing in 2003.
A limited number of health services are still provided in newer buildings at the site.
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