Girl, four, choked to death on vegetarian meatball lunch at nursery school, inquest hears
A four-year-old girl choked to death on a vegetarian meatball lunch served at her nursery school.
Lyla Eden Windell stood up from the table where she was eating with her classmates and tried to pull food out of her mouth, an inquest heard.
The preschooler, described as a pleasure to teach, was eating her second helping of cous cous, veggie meatballs and roasted courgettes when staff heard her coughing.
A trained first aider at First Steps nursery in Chichester, West Sussex, gave her several sharp slaps between the shoulder blades.
The hearing was told that Lyla went quiet and was taken to the corridor away from the other children. Staff then dialled 999 and rang Lyla's parents.
Senior childcare officer, Stephanie Pulley-Blank said Lyla had fantastic fine motor skills and never needed help with her food.
She said: 'I heard her cough at about 12.30pm. She was gagging, visibly choking.'
Head of Operations for First Steps nursery in Chichester, Emma Merriott, said she gave Lyla CPR on her office floor.
'She was still struggling and reaching for her mouth. Food was coming up and it was mixed with a lot of saliva.
'I lowered her down to the office floor and started CPR. I tried the first five rescue breaths.
'Her chest wasn't rising or falling, so I wasn't getting any air in.'
Staff, paramedics and doctors battled for an hour to save her before Lyla was pronounced dead at St Richard's hospital in Chichester the same day.
Child care assistant Marcia De Silva Avery said: 'Lyla was eating fine and talking to her friends around her.
'She got a second portion after raising her hand. I noticed she was making heaving noises.
'Food was coming up. The meat looked chewed. She put her hand in her mouth like she was tying to get something out of it.
'I bent her over and gave her two back slaps. I couldn't see food coming out and she was clearly in distress.'
'I keep thinking about the incident again and again. I do not understand how it happened,' Marcia added.
Lyla was described by staff at the nursery as a well -behaved, quietly confident child who was very good at making things.
Parents Natalie and Richard Windell described Lyla as a beloved daughter, sister and friend.
'She was a happy and contented baby. Adventurous and independent. She loved to help daddy cook.
'She was crafty and creative. Lyla would read to her little brother and he looked up to her.
'She loved princesses, fairies, unicorns and rainbows. Everything was magical to her.'
Her parents said she was loved beyond measure and they still feel her hugs.
'Precious memories will be held in their hearts forever,' they said in a statement read at the inquest.
The inquest heard that the nursery had a regular ratio of eight children to one member of staff.
And on the day of the incident, there were 26 children for lunch, raising the level of supervision to one member of staff for every five children.
Carla Roberts, senior officer at Ofsted, said following a visit to the nursery after the incident the education watchdog was satisfied children were adequately supervised, children's needs were met and that children were encouraged to eat safely.
Ofsted was also satisfied staff had up to date first aid training that they understood and were able to implement.
She said there were no concerns about the meatballs and how they were served.
A jury returned the conclusion that Lyla's death was accidental.
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