Dudley MP Sonia Kumar has pledged to support a family in their quest for 'answers they deserve' after their son was allegedly assaulted at a nursery. The incident occurred at the former Fairytales Day Nursery on Bourne Street, where multiple babies in the baby room were reportedly subjected to rough handling and unsafe sleep practices.
Background of the Case
The disturbing treatment came to light following the tragic death of 14-month-old Noah Sibanda. Noah was tightly wrapped in a sleeping bag and placed face down on a cushion inside a teepee by his keyworker, Kimberley Cookson, who was 'obsessed' with getting him to sleep. Despite Noah showing clear signs of not being tired, Cookson forcefully patted him and even placed her leg over him for several minutes. He was then left without a physical check for two hours, and when he was finally checked, he was no longer breathing. The toddler was pronounced dead at the hospital an hour later.
Legal Outcomes
Cookson, of The Broadway, Dudley, was jailed for three years and four months after admitting gross negligence manslaughter. Fairytales Nursery Limited was fined £240,000 after pleading guilty to corporate manslaughter and failing to comply with a duty under the Health and Safety at Work Act. Nursery owner Deborah Latewood, of Himley Avenue, Dudley, also admitted to failing to comply with general duties under the same act and received a six-month jail term, suspended for two years.
During the sentencing hearing at Wolverhampton Crown Court, 'shocking' CCTV footage from the baby room revealed repeated instances of rough handling of babies by several nursery practitioners, including Cookson, often in view of a manager.
Family's Ordeal
In the aftermath of Noah's death, one couple claimed police informed them their son had been assaulted at the nursery. However, they received no further details about the alleged incident and have since submitted a complaint to the police due to lack of communication. They were contacted late last month to say the complaint had been reviewed by a supervisor and deemed suitable for 'Local Service Recovery'. An email indicated they would be contacted by the relevant policing body and allocated a case worker, but they are still waiting.
The father, who believes other staff members should also be held accountable, met with Dudley MP Sonia Kumar on Friday, May 15, and described the meeting as 'went well and was positive'. He expressed gratitude to Kumar and her team for their compassion and said he is working on next steps with his partner, which will be outlined in an email to Kumar for further action with West Midlands Police.
MP's Response
Labour MP Sonia Kumar stated: 'My thoughts remain with all of the families affected by this deeply distressing case, including the family of Noah Sibanda, who I have previously met with, as well as another local family member I met more recently. Hearing first-hand the pain, frustration and continuing search for answers has been incredibly moving.'
She emphasised that the vast majority of early years settings do a brilliant job caring for children, but children's safety must always come first. She welcomed steps to strengthen Ofsted inspections, increase inspection frequency, and ensure newly registered providers are checked sooner. She also supported developing clearer guidance around CCTV, digital devices, and safer sleep practices, alongside efforts with the Lullaby Trust to make child safety expectations clearer for providers.
Kumar concluded: 'Families deserve full confidence that lessons have been learned and that every possible step is being taken to protect children in the future. I will continue offering my support to the families as they seek the transparency, accountability and answers they deserve.'
Police Statement
West Midlands Police previously said: 'Following the tragic death of Noah, all parents of children in the same nursery room were spoken to. Parents were informed of the police investigation and concerns of unsafe sleeping practices in the nursery. After a thorough investigation, and from the evidence we were able to obtain, we worked with the CPS to secure the charges and convictions we did which incorporated the risk to the health and safety of other children under the Health and Safety at Work Act.'
