A 22-year-old employee at a nursery faces charges for the manslaughter of a "lovely, cheerful, and laid-back" 14-month-old child who passed away after an occurrence in Dudley.
The West Midlands Police initiated an inquiry after Noah Sibanda passed away subsequent to an occurrence at the Fairytales Day Nursery located on Bourne Street, on December 9, 2022.
Kimberley Cookson, a former nursery worker, faces charges of one count of gross negligence manslaughter, according to statements from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).
Fairytales Nursery Limited faces one charge of corporate manslaughter along with not adhering to their duties as outlined under the Health and Safety at Work Act, according to what the prosecutors stated.
The CPS also stated that Deborah Latewood, aged 54, who served as both the director and business proprietor, faces charges related to her failure to adhere to general responsibilities outlined in the Health and Safety at Work Act.
The parents of Noah expressed their feelings about him via the police, stating: "Noah was a lovely, cheerful, and laid-back young child, and we greatly miss him."
On December 14, 2022, the nursery was shut down by Ofsted alongside several connected facilities due to concerns from the regulatory body about potential risks to children’s safety, which led to the suspension of its license.
Initially, six women were taken into custody as part of the probe following Noah's death.
The police stated that the additional four individuals who were taken into custody will not be subject to any further legal proceedings.
Malcolm McHaffie, who leads the Crown Prosecution Service’s specialized unit, stated, "After examining the evidence submitted by the West Midlands Police, we have approved the pressing of criminal charges related to the death of a 14-month-old infant at a nursery in Dudley."
Our thoughts are with the family of Noah Sibanda at present.
The Crown Prosecution Service would like to inform everyone that criminal proceedings against these defendants are currently ongoing, and as such, they retain their right to a fair trial.
It is crucial that we avoid all forms of online reporting, commentary, or information-sharing that might in any way compromise these proceedings.
The accused are scheduled to appear at Dudley Magistrates' Court on May 13th.
