Qualified nurse had ‘taken against’ the baby days before her d.e.a.t.h
A HEARTBROKEN mum has broken her silence after her baby girl was strapped face down and s.u.f.f.o.c.a.t.e.d to death by a v.i.l.e nursery manager.
A court heard that Genevieve Meehan’s cries were “simply ignored” when she was discovered unconscious and blue at Tiny Toes Nursery in Cheadle Hulme, Stockport, on May 9, 2022.
The eight-month-old was rushed to hospital but couldn’t be saved and d.i.e.d later that day.
At Manchester Crown Court, a jury consisting of six men and six women unanimously found 37-year-old Kate Roughley guilty of m.a.n.s.l.a.u.g.h.t.e.r last month.
After losing the “happiest little kid” with a “infection” and “beautiful” laugh, Genevieve’s parents, John Meehan and Katie Wheeler, have talked about their sadness a year after the terrible event.
Just days before she was tragically killed, she had said “dada” for the very first time and was starting to pull herself up to stand.
“She had a beautiful relationship with me and her dad, but her huge big sister is her favorite person in the world,” they stated in an interview with Manchester Evening News.
Dancing, playing with her toys and cuddling the family dog Beau, were among the tot’s favourite things to do, they said.
Meanwhile, trying new foods and playing on her favourite green tambourine are some the ways she will be remembered.
The pair added: “She just was such a wonderful part of the family and she brought such joy to us all.
“She loved being cuddled, she just wanted to be with you all the time.”
E.v.i.l nursery manager
Sickeningly, the qualified nursery nurse “for some inexplicable reason appeared to have taken against Genevieve” in the days before the baby’s d.e.a.t.h, the court heard.
CCTV footage from May 5 and 6 allegedly showed Roughley’s “illogical and frightening animosity” towards the child, which was the driving force behind his conduct.
She was subjected to “rough handling” by Roughley, who called her “stress head” and on one occasion told her: “Genevieve go home. Do you have to be so loud and constant? Change the record.”
She was heard chillingly telling the tot to “stop your whinging”.
Prosecutor Peter Wright KC said: “Her hostility to Genevieve was, we say, as illogical as it was disturbing.”
The court was told the baby was strapped on her front by “means of a harness” on a bean bag rather than a cot or sleeping mat.
She was then “practically” covered from head to foot in a blanket that would have heightened her risk of o.v.e.r.h.e.a.t.i.n.g.
Mr Wright said her sleeping position was an “obvious recipe for disaster” after she was left unable to breathe properly.
He added: “Unsurprisingly, Genevieve was distressed by this treatment but her cries were ignored and she was left tightly swaddled, restrained and covered in this position.”
Genevieve was left virtually immobilised and face down between 1.35pm and 3.12pm.
During this time, CCTV showed Roughley heading for a toilet break while telling a colleague: “Just ignore anyone if they start.”
Five minutes later, Genevieve moved her head side-to-side and raised her legs in a way “entirely consistent with an increasingly exhausted child desperately thrashing in order to survive”.
Tragically, jurors heard Roughley checked other children but not the baby, who “remained on the beanbag seemingly motionless”.
Her mother, Katie Wheeler, tragically shared Genevieve’s last hours before her parents took her off at the daycare.
She said: “I had put suncream on her, which she found ticklish and funny.
“When I dropped her off [at nursery] I said to her ‘I love you, sweetie’.
“[Genevieve’s dad] John told me he watched her go in and she seemed happy and then I went home and went to work.”
While John told the court how he later received a phonecall from his wife saying their daughter had been found unresponsive.
He was then told the baby was being taken to A&E at Stepping Hill Hospital.
When he arrived, John could see doctors battling to save the stricken youngster.
The dad added: “I remained in hospital as doctors tried to save her. I saw Katie and her mother leave the room. Doctors and nurses approached me and asked if I wanted to go with them.
“I wanted to stay with Genevieve. I overheard the doctors having a conversation about stopping CPR. We were then told they were going to stop treatment and they could not save Genevieve.”
Roughley is a qualified nursery nurse and early years practitioner with 17 years of experience.
At the time of Genevieve’s death, she was the duty baby room leader and in charge of sleep arrangements.
