Accused nursery worker tells court of ‘general understanding’ on sleeping babies
A nursery nurse accused of causing the death of a baby girl by ill-treatment has told a jury she was told that infants did not need to be placed to sleep on their backs after they reached six months old.
Kate Roughley, 37, said it was a “general understanding” at Tiny Toes Nursery in Cheadle Hulme, Stockport, that children could be positioned on their front or side from that age onwards.
The prosecution in her trial at Manchester Crown Court says she placed nine-month-old Genevieve Meehan face down, tightly swaddled and strapped to a bean bag for more than an hour and a half and that the youngster was left “virtually immobilised”, and that her cries and distress were “simply ignored”.
Roughley later found Genevieve “unresponsive and blue” on the afternoon of May 9 2022 but staff and paramedics were unable to revive her and she was pronounced dead in hospital the same day.
Roughley entered the witness box on Thursday to begin her evidence as Genevieve’s parents, John Meehan and Katie Wheeler, watched on behind from the public gallery.
She told the court she started employment at Tiny Toes (pictured) when she was aged 18 and that the “bulk of her knowledge” about babies and young children went on to mainly come from nursery colleagues.
Roughley said: “Ever since school I have always want to work with children. I had a few young cousins that I used to babysit and help out with.”
She confirmed to her barrister Sarah Elliott KC that she did not have children herself.
She said she began working with toddlers before she moved to the baby room after the first Covid lockdown in March 2020.
Roughley was later appointed head of the baby group but told jurors it was “just a glorified title really” as the only difference to her daily duties was the ability to give medications.
She was appointed a deputy manager in 2016 but again explained her role did not effectively change and her pay increased only “ever so slightly”
Miss Elliott asked: “Did you have an understanding in your mind as to what the appropriate way for a child to go to sleep was and at what age?”
Roughley said: “The only time I was told not to put them on their front was at six months.”
Miss Elliott said: “Was it a specific person who told you that or was it a general understanding?”
The defendant said: “It was a general understanding at the nursery.”
Miss Elliott said: “And then at six months?”
Roughley said: “They said they didn’t have to be on their backs at that time.”
The defendant confirmed she had read NHS safe sleeping guidance that to the reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (Sids) “place your baby on their back to sleep, in the same room as you for the first six months” and “keep your baby’s head uncovered, their blanket should be tucked in no higher than their shoulders”.
Miss Elliott went on: “In general terms, when did you first start swaddling babies?”
Roughley said: “When I first started at Tiny Toes this was a procedure that was already being done. It did go up to higher age groups, not just babies.”
Miss Elliott said: “Did anyone show you how to do it?”
Roughley said: “I must have seen someone do it because I had not worked with toddlers and babies before.”
The defendant said that in May 2022 she was paid “£11 to £11.50 per hour” and her normal working hours were between 40 and 50.
She said the ratio of the numbers of staff to children at the nursery “gradually worsened” during her time at Tiny Toes as the “number of children went up and the number of staff went down”.
Roughley said she understood the guidance for staffing ratios was one to three babies.
The court has heard in April and May 2022 the staff to children ratios were at various times one to nine, two to 11, two to 13 and one to 16.
Roughley said: “Due to the sheer volume of children we couldn’t cuddle them to sleep as we would have liked to.”
She said she mentioned the ratio issue to management but said the problem was merely moved elsewhere as babies would be transferred to older age groups.
The defendant said the only on-site training at the nursery was restricted to first aid sessions at weekends and that staff had to pay for their online training.
Roughley added that as time went on she was unable to take any work breaks in the morning and afternoon “unless you could juggle it between you” and she would not have a lunch break.
The defendant, from Heaton Norris, Stockport, denies manslaughter and an alternative count of child cruelty.
The trial continues next Tuesday.
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