Nursery Admits Corporate Manslaughter After Toddler Died Due to Negligent Restraint
Fairytales Day Nursery in Dudley, West Midlands, has admitted to corporate manslaughter following the death of 14-month-old Noah Sibanda in December 2022. Wolverhampton Crown Court heard that nursery worker Kimberley Cookson pleaded guilty to gross negligence manslaughter after CCTV footage showed her tightly wrapping the toddler in a sleeping bag, covering his head, and restraining him with her leg to restrict movement. Noah was left face down in an indoor tepee and went unchecked by staff for over two hours before being found unresponsive. He was pronounced dead at the hospital shortly after. Prosecutors described the nursery's sleeping practices as exceptionally dangerous, noting that covering children's heads was a habitual practice posing risks of overheating and exhaustion. Nursery owner Deborah Latewood also admitted to a Health and Safety at Work Act offence, acknowledging she should have known about the unsafe practices. Victim impact statements from Noah’s parents highlighted their devastating loss and inability to forgive the defendants, describing the nursery’s actions as playing Russian roulette with children's lives. Sentencing hearings are currently underway for the involved parties.
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Nursery Admits Corporate Manslaughter After Toddler Died Due to Negligent Restraint
Fairytales Day Nursery in Dudley, West Midlands, has admitted to corporate manslaughter following the death of 14-month-old Noah Sibanda in December 2022. Wolverhampton Crown Court heard that nursery worker Kimberley Cookson pleaded guilty to gross negligence manslaughter after CCTV footage showed her tightly wrapping the toddler in a sleeping bag, covering his head, and restraining him with her leg to restrict movement. Noah was left face down in an indoor tepee and went unchecked by staff for over two hours before being found unresponsive. He was pronounced dead at the hospital shortly after. Prosecutors described the nursery's sleeping practices as exceptionally dangerous, noting that covering children's heads was a habitual practice posing risks of overheating and exhaustion. Nursery owner Deborah Latewood also admitted to a Health and Safety at Work Act offence, acknowledging she should have known about the unsafe practices. Victim impact statements from Noah’s parents highlighted their devastating loss and inability to forgive the defendants, describing the nursery’s actions as playing Russian roulette with children's lives. Sentencing hearings are currently underway for the involved parties.
The Standard