Toddler's inquest adjourned pending investigations

Jude Gerrard's parents said their son was "truly so incredibly special"

The death of an "incredibly special" toddler who suffered a medical incident at a nursery will be investigated by police, health and safety experts and the Food Standards Agency, a coroner has said.

Two-year-old Jude Gerrard, who attended Early Learners Day Nursery in Bootle, Merseyside, became unwell and was taken to Alder Hey Children's Hospital, where he died on 14 January.

Opening the toddler's inquest at Bootle Town Hall, senior coroner Julie Goulding said his cause of death had not yet been ascertained.

"What we can't do today is to leap to any conclusions, or to do or say anything at all that might undermine the formal processes that need to take place," she said before adjourning proceedings.

'Tragic'

Coroner's officer Graeme Webster told the inquest Jude was born in June 2022 to parents Rebecca Sheridan, a company receptionist, and Charlie Gerrard, a sales representative. They were both 28.

The inquest was told Jude died shortly before 13:30 GMT.

Ms Goulding described his death as "tragic".

"A day at his nursery school that should have been full of fun and adventure ended catastrophically with Jude losing his young, vibrant and treasured life," the coroner said.

"Jude's cause of death is yet to be established by pathologists."

Ms Goulding expressed her "deepest, heartfelt condolences" to Jude's parents, family and friends, adding they "now need time and privacy while the investigations take their course".

'So much love'

Three family members were in court for the hearing.

Paying tribute after their little boy's death, Jude's parents described him as "truly so incredibly special".

"Everybody who ever met him couldn't help but instantly love him, and he had so much love for everyone too, even if he'd pretend to 'web' you like Spider-Man or wrestle you like Hulk Hogan.

"Our lives will never be the same again - he really was too good to be true and we can't believe he has been taken away from us like this."

They added: "We count ourselves so lucky we got to be his mummy and daddy for two and a half years, even though he should have had so much more time."

Adjourning the inquest, Ms Goulding said it would resume once investigations had been completed.

Until then, she said nothing should be done to hinder or undermine any inquiries made by "police, health and safety, the Food Standards Agency, the coroner's court or any other statutory processes".