Mum's Torment as Son 'Died Alone, Scared and in Pain' at Dudley Nursery
A grieving mother has told a court that no sentence could ever "amount to the pain and suffering" caused to her 14-month-old son, who "died alone, scared and in pain" at a Dudley nursery.
Heartbreaking Details of Noah's Death
Masi Sibanda's son Noah "silently suffocated" after being forced to sleep by nursery worker Kimberley Cookson on December 9, 2022. Cookson had swaddled the toddler in a sleeping bag, placed him face down in an indoor tepee, and covered his head with a blanket.
She then restrained him for seven minutes with her left leg before leaving him unattended. It was two hours before anyone physically checked on Noah, by which point he was no longer breathing. Paramedics were called but sadly nothing could be done to save the youngster, who was pronounced dead at hospital.
Court Proceedings and Guilty Pleas
Cookson, 23, pleaded guilty to gross negligence manslaughter in relation to her actions and is being sentenced at Wolverhampton Crown Court. Fairytales Day Nursery Limited is also being sentenced after admitting corporate manslaughter and failing to comply with health and safety duties.
Nursery director and business owner Deborah Latewood, 55, also admitted failing to comply with general duties under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, stating she did not know children were being put down to sleep in this dangerous way.
Mother's Emotional Victim Statement
In an emotional victim personal statement read to the court, Masi Sibanda described her son as "a prayer answered" and expressed her overwhelming guilt for placing "naïve trust" in the nursery.
"I believed I had a modern-day village supporting me," she said. "That naïve trust in the nursery is one of the many reasons I will forever feel guilty about what happened to Noah."
She continued: "My guilt comes from knowing that I handed Noah over to the people who killed him. Killed him in a way that, from what I understand now, resembles the excessive force used in prison settings on people who are resisting arrest."
Lasting Trauma and Unanswered Questions
The mother described how she now feels "ashamed and like a complete failure" for not keeping her son alive and safe. She expressed fear for her daughter's safety, saying she is "terrified" she cannot keep a child safe from people like Cookson.
"There's no sentence Kimberley could ever receive that would amount to the pain and suffering she caused Noah," Masi stated. "I am left with questions Kimberley has avoided answering. Why did she do this to Noah? Was it something against our family? Was it something about Noah himself?"
She added: "I cannot comprehend what could justify treating a barely walking child the way she treated Noah. She has shown no emotion, no indication of why this happened."
Safety Concerns and Broken Trust
Masi revealed that in the first months of Noah's life, she and her husband were so paranoid about safe sleep that they took turns staying up "just to watch him breathe." Some of that anxiety eased as he began to crawl, but she never imagined danger would come while he was under professional care.
"Never in my life did I imagine that the most innocent, fragile child could be in danger in a place designed for learning, safety and protection," she said. "How has this been allowed to happen?"
The mother concluded: "My child died alone, scared and in pain. What I want is for them to forever remember the day they found my son's unresponsive body, to remember they are the reason a happy, healthy child suffocated silently and died."
The sentencing hearing resumed at 2pm on Thursday, April 16.
