Mum of Stockport nursery death baby 'assured child was safe'

Kate Roughley denies all charges

The parents of a baby who died after she was strapped face down to a bean bag were assured by nursery bosses she was safe, a court heard.

Kate Roughley, 37, denies the manslaughter by ill-treatment of nine-month-old Genevieve Meehan at Tiny Toes Nursery in Cheadle Hulme, Stockport.

Jurors at Manchester Crown Court heard the baby's mum wanted a safe nursery for her child.

Ms Roughley is said to have left the baby face down for 90 minutes plus.

The court was told previously the baby was found unresponsive and blue on the afternoon of 9 May 2022 at the nursery.

Genevieve's mother Katie Wheeler told the court she and her partner John Meehan wanted to send their daughter to another nursery, but it was full.

They eventually decided on Tiny Toes following positive comments from other parents.

She said she spoke to a man named Jonathan who introduced himself as the manager.

"I explained I was an anxious person. I asked a number of questions about safety and was reassured by Jonathan that all staff had regular first aid training," she said.

Ms Wheeler sought further reassurance when Genevieve attended a "settling-in session", although sleeping arrangements were not discussed.

She said: "I wanted to know that Gigi was being cared for, and safety in the nursery was paramount.

"I was again told that all staff had regular first aid training."

The couple were "surprised" when the nursery told them their daughter had slept for 90 minutes after she was put down in a cot.

Their daughter had previously struggled to sleep and they had adopted a shift system in her early months.

"John and I were obsessive about safe sleep practice," she said.

"I would always be anxious about the safety of my children and wanted to make sure I was doing everything I could to keep them safe."

The youngster spent time in hospital in late April after she was diagnosed with bronchiolitis, a common condition in infants, and returned to the nursery for full day sessions on 5 and 6 May.

'Dada dada'

Ms Wheeler said her daughter then enjoyed the "best weekend of her life".

She said: "She spent lots of time playing on her toy mat and she was able to support herself while standing, and was also moving around on the floor with great determination and speed, babbling as she liked to and saying 'dada dada'."

Stockport nursery boss 'killed baby she strapped to beanbag' - BBC News

Ms Wheeler had no concerns for her daughter's health over the weekend, she said.

She said Genevieve was "bright, alert and her normal mischievous self" on the morning of 9 May, before Mr Meehan drove them to Tiny Toes.

As her partner waited in the car she dropped off her daughter inside and told her: "I love you, sweetie."

In his statement, Mr Meehan said he received a phone call from Ms Wheeler at 15:15 BST as he was heading to collect Genevieve's elder sister from school.

He was told his daughter was found unresponsive and blue, and an ambulance was on its way to the nursery.

Doctors and nurses attempted to revive Genevieve but she was pronounced dead at 16:09 the court was told.

Ms Roughley, of Heaton Norris, Stockport, who was deputy manager denies manslaughter and an alternative count of child cruelty.