Oliver Steeper: Appeal launched by parents after baby death case dropped

Nine-month-old Oliver died in hospital in September, five days after he was believed to have choked at a day nursery

The parents of a baby who died after choking on food at a nursery have launched an appeal after learning no-one will face criminal charges.

Oliver Steeper died in hospital in September 2021, days after the medical emergency at Jelly Beans Day Nursery in Ashford, Kent.

His parents said they were "hugely disappointed" by prosecutors' decision to take no further action.

They have now lodged an appeal with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

Kent Police confirmed no further action would be taken after it referred a file to the CPS following a "thorough" investigation into the nine-month-old's death.

The CPS concluded there was "insufficient evidence" to provide a realistic prospect of conviction for two suspects in relation to the infant's death.

A report is now being prepared for the coroner.

Jelly Beans Day Nursery in Ashford had its registration suspended by Ofsted and has since closed

Following the police decision, parents Zoe and Lewis Steeper said in a statement they would "leave no stone unturned as we feel that many key aspects of what happened on that day have been missed or ignored."

"Whilst the initial investigation concluded that the nursery's policies and procedures were 'of poor quality and inconsistent' no accountability for our son's tragic and avoidable death will prevail at this moment in time," they added.

Ofsted suspended Jelly Beans Day Nursery's registration immediately after the incident, and the nursery has since closed completely.

A CPS spokesperson said it received a request from Oliver's family under the Victim's Right to Review Scheme.

He said: "Kent Police referred a file of evidence to the CPS seeking a charging decision for two suspects in relation to Oliver Steeper's death. After a careful review of all the evidence, we concluded that there was insufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction for either suspect."

The CPS said it will conduct a "further, full independent review of all the evidence" and it would not comment until it was completed.