A father whose son was allegedly assaulted at the Dudley nursery where toddler Noah Sibanda tragically lost his life has demanded 'justice' and answers, claiming he has been left in the dark about what happened to his child.
The dad, who cannot be named to protect his son's identity, said his child attended Fairytales Day Nursery in Bourne Street for around six months before Noah's death. He recalled his son 'always coming out all sweaty and hot' but never imagined he was dropping him off at a setting he now describes as 'a time bomb waiting to go off'.
Noah's Death and Nursery Practices
Noah, aged 14 months, died on December 9, 2022, after being tightly wrapped in a sleeping bag by his key worker, Kimberley Cookson, and placed face down in a tepee with a blanket over his head. Despite it being clear Noah was not ready for a nap, Cookson 'forcefully' patted him to sleep and put her leg over him for seven minutes. Noah was not breathing when checked two hours later and was pronounced dead at hospital.
The father said other parents were unaware 'something had happened'. His partner only learned of the incident when she picked their son up at around 5pm. Police initially said it was a crime scene but offered no further details. The family later left flowers outside the nursery, which was 'open as usual' the following Monday.
Police Investigation and Charges
The father's suspicions grew when police asked for a photograph of his son to identify him on CCTV. About a week later, officers informed him his son had been assaulted, but did not specify the nature of the assault. 'They said there were other babies as well that had been assaulted. To this day, I still don't know, but I can guess. I think it's the same treatment as what Noah had,' he said.
He criticised the police for going 'really quiet' and said it had been over a year since his last contact, which was a voicemail informing him of charges against Cookson and nursery owner Deborah Latewood.
During the sentencing hearing, Judge Justice Choudhury described 'shocking' CCTV footage showing 'repeated instances of rough handling of babies by several nursery practitioners, including Cookson, often in view of a manager'. He said 'dangerous and unacceptable practices' had gone 'totally unchecked'.
Cookson was jailed for three years and four months. Fairytales Nursery Limited was fined £240,000 for corporate manslaughter and health and safety failures. Latewood received a six-month suspended jail term.
Demand for Further Accountability
The father believes other staff members should also be held accountable. 'There's other members of staff who have done the same, and they've got away with it,' he said. A support group has been formed for affected parents, all seeking answers.
He wants to know exactly what happened to his son and to see the CCTV footage, which police have not shown him. 'I know it'd be hard for me to watch but I need some closure. I need some answers, and I want justice for my son and all the other babies as well,' he added.
A West Midlands Police spokesperson said all parents of children in the same nursery room were spoken to and informed of the investigation and concerns about unsafe sleeping practices. They added that after a thorough investigation, charges were secured that incorporated the risk to other children under the Health and Safety at Work Act.
A CPS spokesperson expressed continued thoughts for Noah's family and confirmed accountability for the nursery, Latewood, and Cookson, as well as prosecution for risks posed to other children.
