Baby Chokes to Death

The former owner of a Gloucester nursery has been charged with two health and safety offences relating to the death of a baby in her care three years ago.

Rosemary Meadowes, 45, used to run Tiddlywinks Nursery where a 16-month-old girl died after choking on a cord tied to her cot in October 2005.

Last July an inquest jury decided that Molly Cunliffe had been unlawfully killed.

Gloucester City Council has summoned Ms Meadowes to face two charges under the Health and Safety Act before Gloucester Magistrates' Court on 25 July.

The first charge is for "failing to ensure that persons not in her employment, in particular babies and toddlers, were not exposed to risks to their health and safety."

The second is for "failing to make a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks to the health and safety of babies and toddlers."

Criminal charges were not brought against Rosemary Meadowes or her employees as a result of Molly's death.

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Sion Kingston from law firm Irwin Mitchell said: "This is a tragic case where the nursery failed in their obligations to Molly and her parents. Nurseries have a responsibility to take reasonable care of children in their care. This includes ensuring that the environment in which the child is staying is safe but also to ensure the adequacy of supervision particularly when dealing with young children and babies.  Irwin Mitchell unfortunately have had to deal with a number of cases involving injuries sustained by children in similar circumstances and this case is yet another example of lessons not being learned."