Nursery worker admits manslaughter after death of 14-month-old baby
A nursery worker has admitted to manslaughter following the death of a 14-month-old baby.
Kimberley Cookson admitted one count of gross negligence manslaughter in connection with the death of Noah Sibanda.
The tot died after an incident at Dudley's Fairytales Day Nursery on December 9, 2022, The Mirror reports.
Cookson, 22, appeared at Wolverhampton Crown Court, alongside business owner Deborah Latewood, 54, on Tuesday.
Latewood pleaded not guilty to failing to comply with a duty under the Health and Safety at Work Act to ensure that Noah and others were not exposed to risk between November 29 and December 9, 2022.
A plea of not guilty was also entered on behalf of the firm which ran the now-closed nursery, to one count of corporate manslaughter, including an alleged failure to ensure that children in the baby room were put down to sleep in a safe way, failure to ensure that staff were adequately trained to put babies down to sleep and failure to ensure staff were adequately supervised while doing so.
The firm also pleaded not guilty to failing to comply with a duty under the Health and Safety at Work Act to ensure that Noah and others were not exposed to risk between November 29 and December 9 2022.
Cookson and Latewood spoke only to confirm their date of birth and to enter their pleas in front of the courtroom, which was packed with members of Noah's family and supporters of the defendants.
Judge Michael Chambers KC said Latewood and the company would face a trial, likely to be in 2026, but did not set a date.
Cookson will be sentenced upon conclusion of the trial, which is expected to last three weeks and both Cookson and Latewood were released on unconditional bail until the next hearing.
Judge Chambers said: 'In your case, Kimberley Cookson, you have had the courage to plead guilty and will get the appropriate credit for that plea.
"I am adjourning your sentencing until the conclusion of the trial, so the judge will have all the facts of the case.'
He warned both defendants that if they did not appear for their trial, they could face further criminal proceedings.
A pre-trial review hearing was set for December 5.
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