Two nursery workers have been charged following the death of a ‘loveable’ toddler.
‘Happy and easy-going’ Noah Sibanda, who was 14 months old, was being cared for at Fairytales Nursery in Dudley when there was an ‘incident’ on December 9, 2022.
Details of what happened cannot be reported for legal reasons, but paramedics were called to the premises following reports he had gone into cardiac arrest. The little one was pronounced dead at the scene
After a two-year investigation, nursery worker Kimberley Cookson, 22, has now been charged with gross negligence manslaughter.
The nursery’s director and business owner Deborah Latewood, 54, was charged with failing to comply with general duties under the Health and Safety at Work Act.
Fairytales Nursery Limited, which has since closed, has also been with corporate manslaughter and failing to comply with a duty under the Health and Safety at Work Act.
The defendants will appear before Dudley Magistrates’ Court on May 13.
In a tribute, Noah’s parents said in a statement: ‘Noah was a beautiful, happy and easy-going little boy and we miss him very much.’
Mum Masi Sibanda said previously: ‘My [younger] daughter’s turned two and Noah never got to turn two. I think they would have been such a fun little duo together.’
Brave Masi, 31, said she and husband Thulani, 32, ‘would have been a really content family’ of four.
She described Noah as a ‘handsome, beautiful, cute boy’ who was very ‘lovable’ and always smiling and she added: ‘I know parents are biased, but he was so beautiful.
‘He was calm, very relaxed and quite chilled and unfazed by things. We would find him just chilling with his arm behind his head.
‘He was very easy-going and he made it easy as a first-time parent.’
A West Midlands Police spokesperson said: ‘We have been working closely with the Crown Prosecution Service, Ofsted, and other agencies since Noah’s death.
‘Four other people arrested as part of the investigation will face no further action.
‘We have updated his family with today’s developments and continue to support them.’
Malcolm McHaffie, Head of the Crown Prosecution Service’s Special Division, said: ‘Following a review of the evidence provided by West Midlands Police, we have authorised criminal charges in relation to the death of a 14-month-old child at a nursery in Dudley.
‘Noah Sibanda died following an incident at Fairytales Day Nursery in Bourne Street, Dudley on 9 December 2022.
‘Kimberley Cookson, 22, who was a nursery practitioner, has been charged with one count of gross negligence manslaughter.
‘Fairytales Nursery Limited has been charged with one count of corporate manslaughter and failing to comply with a duty under the Health and Safety at Work Act.
‘Deborah Latewood, 54, who was the director and business owner, has been charged with one count of failing to comply with general duties under the Health and Safety at Work Act.
‘Our thoughts remain with the family of Noah Sibanda at this time.’
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