NURSERY WAS 'BACK TO BUSINESS' DAYS AFTER TOT'S DEATH

A DUDLEY nursery that "played Russian roulette with children's lives" was "back to business" just three days after a toddler's tragic death.

- KELLY ASHMORE News Reporter

Deborah Latewood, the owner of Fairytales Day Nursery in Bourne Street, sent a message to parents the day after Noah Sibanda died on December 9, 2022, informing them a child had died after "suffering a cardiac arrest" and offering her "deepest thoughts and prayers" to his parents and family.

However, the 14-month-old's sudden death was actually due to being restrained and put face down to sleep by nursery worker Kimberley Cookson, who then left him physically unchecked for two hours.

He was found to be unresponsive at 3.13pm, and pronounced dead at hospital around an hour later.

Cookson, Latewood and Fairytales Day Nursery Ltd were sentenced on Friday.

Cookson, 23, from Dudley, pleaded guilty to gross negligence manslaughter in relation to her actions in trying to make the toddler sleep. She was jailed for three years and four months.

Fairytales Day Nursery Limited admitted corporate manslaughter and failing to comply with a duty under section 3(1) Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

It was fined £240,000 and ordered to pay costs of £56,000

While Latewood, 55, from Dudley, admitted failing to comply with general duties under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, on the basis that she did not know children were being put down to sleep in this dangerous way.