Mother of a nine

The mother of a baby girl who died after being left face down on a bean bag for 90 minutes at a day nursery today claimed she had been told by bosses that 'safety was paramount.'

Katie Wheeler said she was naturally anxious and had asked for reassurances that all staff were first aid trained and that her daughter, Genevieve Meehan, would be 'cared for.'

The nine-month-old was rushed to hospital after being found 'unresponsive and blue' at Tiny Toes, in Cheadle Hulme, Greater Manchester, on the afternoon of May 9, 2022.

Deputy manager Kate Roughley, 37, who was in charge of the nursery's baby room, is on trial accused of ill-treating Genevieve, who was known as Gigi, and causing her death.

The jury, sitting at Manchester Crown Court, has been told the nursery wasn't Genevieve's parents first choice, but they had enrolled her as a stop gap until a place at their preferred nursery became available in October.

Pictured: Kate Roughley deputy manager of Tiny Toes Day Nursery in Cheadle Hulme. She is on trial accused of ill-treating Genevieve, who was known as Gigi, and causing her death

Roughley, of Heaton Norris, Stockport, denies manslaughter and an alternative charge of child cruelty

The nine-month-old Genevieve Meehan was rushed to hospital after being found 'unresponsive and blue' at Tiny Toes, in Cheadle Hulme, Greater Manchester, on the afternoon of May 9, 2022

In a statement Ms Wheeler said the weekend before Genevieve's death was 'the most wonderful' of the baby's life.

She had taken a few steps on her own and had started 'babbling away,' saying 'Dada, dada,' Ms Wheeler said.

Although her daughter had been in hospital for a week until April 30 with a chest infection, she had got back to her 'bright, alert and mischievous self' and there were 'no concerns' about her health when she was dropped off at nursery on May 9.

Recalling conversations with nursery managers, Ms Wheeler said: 'I explained that I was an anxious person and I asked a number of questions about safety and was reassured that all staff had regular first aid training.

'I wanted to know that Genevieve would be cared for and that safety in the nursery was paramount.'

The mother-of-two, who has an older daughter from a previous relationship, said she and Genevieve's father, John Meehan, were 'obsessive' about safe sleeping practices.

Earlier prosecutor Peter Wright KC told the jury that guidance states babies should be placed on their backs to sleep, but Roughley had tightly swaddled Genevieve in a blanket and used a harness to restrain her face down on the bean bag.

'The risk of asphyxiation and death was serious and obvious,' the barrister said.

Roughley outside Manchester Crown Court. The prosecution say Genevieve's death was not the result of 'some terrible or unavoidable accident' but down to 'ill-treatment' at the hands of Roughley, who is a qualified nursery nurse and early years practitioner with 17 years' experience

Earlier prosecutor Peter Wright KC told the jury that guidance states babies should be placed on their backs to sleep, but Roughley had tightly swaddled Genevieve in a blanket and used a harness to restrain her face down on the bean bag

In a separate statement Mr Meehan, said he rushed to Stepping Hill Hospital, near Stockport, after being telephoned by his Ms Wheeler, to say their daughter was unwell.

He told the court he arrived before Genevieve, who was being blue-lighted in an ambulance, and Ms Wheeler, who was taken to the hospital in a police car.

'I was waiting outside A&E as the ambulance arrived,' Mr Meehan said. 'He (a paramedic) opened the doors of the ambulance and I could see that CPR was being conducted on Genevieve.

READ MORE: Nursery worker accused of killing a nine-month-old baby girl strapped her face down on a bean bag for over 90 minutes before she was found dead, court is told  

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'I remained at the hospital as the doctors were trying to save Genevieve.

'I recall having a conversation with the police officers and doctors that I didn't want Katie to see this.

'We were told that they were going to stop CPR and they could not save Gigi.'

Earlier, Ms Wheeler described Genevieve as a 'beautiful' daughter, who was 'a complete person and a real individual.'

Their family was 'very happy and complete' when she was born, Ms Wheeler said, which was 'something she cherished.'

'Owing to her beautiful French name she adopted a French persona in our house and often used to speak - voiced by me - all in French with a French accent, which really became part of her character,' Ms Wheeler added.

'We used to joke that it would be very strange when she started to talk properly and wouldn't actually sound French.'

The prosecution say Genevieve's death was not the result of 'some terrible or unavoidable accident' but down to 'ill-treatment' at the hands of Roughley, who is a qualified nursery nurse and early years practitioner with 17 years' experience.

Mr Wright said Genevieve had been 'distressed' and kicking her legs in the air, but Roughley ignored the baby's crying and left her in the same position on the bean bag for an hour and 37 minutes until she was found unresponsive at 3.12pm.

Roughley's monitoring of Genevieve had been 'sporadic' and she lied to police to say she constantly checked on babies to conceal 'the awful truth,' Mr Wright said.

Roughley, of Heaton Norris, Stockport, denies manslaughter and an alternative charge of child cruelty.

The trial, estimated to last four weeks, continues.