Baby girl died after deputy nursery manager strapped her face down to beanbag, court hears

A baby girl died after being strapped face down to a bean bag by a nursery worker who swaddled her so tightly in a blanket she was unable to move, a court has heard.

Nursery deputy manager Kate Roughley, 36, strapped nine-month old Genevieve Zofia Meehan down with a harness and left her there crying and thrashing for more than half an hour, Manchester Crown Court heard.

Whilst Genevieve struggled, Ms Roughley ignored her cries and placed a blanket on top of her that covered her almost head to foot, a jury was told. Roughley is accused of the manslaughter by ill-treatment of Genevieve, who she found unresponsive and blue on the afternoon of May 9 2022 at the Tiny Toes Nursery in Stockport. She has pleaded not guilty to manslaughter and child cruelty.

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At the opening of a trial today (April 6), jurors were told Genevieve, known by her parents as Gigi, was left virtually immobilised and face down from 1.35pm to 3.12pm when Ms Roughley found her blue and unresponsive and raised the alarm.

Staff and then paramedics attempted to revive Genevieve but her condition was irreversible and she was pronounced dead later that day in hospital.

Prosecuting, Peter Wright KC told jurors that strapping a child to a bean bag on their front was an “obvious recipe for disaster” and led to the death of the youngster from a combination of asphyxia and pathophysiological stress. He said that the risk of asphyxiation was “obvious for all to see”.

The jury was told a Tiny Toes General Risk Assessment of the Baby Bean Bag Bed warned: “Never place the baby face down on the product”.

The court heard that on Thursday, May 5 2022 Genevieve