Stockport deputy nursery manager caused the death of a baby she strapped to a beanbag, face down, court hears

Kate Roughly, 37, has been accused of the manslaughter by ill treatment of Genevieve Meehan, who was found ‘unresponsive and blue’ at Tiny Toes Day Nursery in Cheadle Hulme, Greater Manchester in 9 May 2022.

Roughly denies manslaughter and an alternative count of child cruelty.

Opening the case at Manchester Crown Court today, Peter Wright KC, for the prosecution, said strapping a child to a bean bag on their front was 'an obvious recipe for disaster'. It led, he said, to the baby’s death from a combination of asphyxia and pathophysiological stress.

Genevieve Meehan, known as ‘Gigi’ to her parents, died from a combination of asphyxia and pathophysiological stress, the court heard.

The reason for the baby’s decline was unclear at the time, but became ‘much clearer’ when CCTV within the room was later viewed, state reports.

Roughly, who has 17 years experience of working with children, was the duty baby room leader and in charge of sleep arrangements on 9 May.

The court heard how the deputy manager had put ‘Gigi’ down to sleep and swaddled her ‘so tightly that the child was effectively unable to move’, before placing her face down on a bean bag and strapping her down.

The prosecutor told the judge that the child was covered in a blanket and her ‘cries were ignored and she was left tightly swaddled, restrained’ and in a face down position’.

He went on to say that the child was left face down for an hour and 37 minutes, and ‘any level of interest in her well-being during this period, was sporadic, and, at best, fleeting’.

The court heard Roughly had told a colleague ‘just ignore anyone if they start’ in CCTV footage taken after she checked cots and left for her break.

Later, the blanket was moved from the baby’s head by the defendant, but Genevieve’s cried and efforts to breathe were ignored until she lay motionless, state reports.

The prosecutor suggested Roughly had appeared to ‘take against’ the child in the days prior when she had strapped her in a similar position, and treated her without ‘any degree of tenderness or affection’.

She has referred to the child as a ‘stress head’ and told her to ‘stop whinging’.

Wright, for the prosecution, said Genevieve was left virtually immobilised and face-down from 1.35pm to 3.12pm. Throughout that time, 'her cries and distress – sometimes accompanied by efforts to move or reposition herself – were simply ignored', Wright said. 'Any level of interest in her wellbeing was during this period, we say, sporadic and, at best, fleeting.'

In a brief summary of the defence case, Sarah Elliott KC told jurors, 'Genevieve’s death was a terrible and unavoidable accident and not caused by any acts of Kate Roughley that were unlawful.

'You will hear that she was devastated by the events of that day and left heartbroken by what happened.'

Roughly had worked at the nursery since she was 17 and, according to reports, had never been in trouble.

The trial, which resumes on Thursday, is expected to last four weeks.