NURSERY ‘BURNED BABY WITH BOILING BLEACH’
Couple consider legal action after report upholds their complaints over care
THE family of a 10-month-old baby who was “burned by boiling bleach” while at a nursery have slammed “negligent” staff and called for the facility to be shut down.
Blake Nilssen suffered second-degree burns after toppling an unattended cleaning bucket over himself at Little Dreams Nursery in Aberdeen.
Staff covered the tot in paper towels but when they removed them, they ripped blisters that had started to form.
The tot was also denied treatment for an hour as staff waited for Blake to be collected instead of calling an ambulance.
The Care Inspectorate upheld multiple complaints against the nursery and told bosses to make immediate changes. The family is now considering legal action.
Blake’s mum, Ellie Johnson, 27, said: “He faces being scarred for life. Little Dreams Nursery should be closed. This is utterly indefensible.”
He was injured in November in the baby room of the nursery, which he had been attending since April at a cost of £52 per day.
Ellie, who runs a beauty business, was told to collect Blake as he “managed to tip a bucket of water on himself ”.
But the mum and her offshore worker partner Daryl Nilssen, 31, only realised it was serious when they arrived at the nursery. She said: “They said the water had a bit of bleach in it but didn’t say the water was boiling. We opened the door and heard the most horrific screaming. It was chilling. Then we realised it came from our little boy.”
Blake had been stripped to his nappy and vest and his limbs were covered in cling film and paper towels.
Ellie added: “His skin was red all over and there was an overwhelming smell of bleach, with liquid running down his legs and arms from burst blisters.
“I screamed at the staff, grabbed Blake and drove to A&E.”
Dad Daryl said: “The whole situation was totally avoidable. It should never have happened and cannot be allowed to happen again.”
Ellie added: “His physical scars will likely be permanent. This was blatant negligence.”
The Care Inspectorate described the nursery’s supervision as “ineffective”, criticised their use of paper towels and failing to call an ambulance.
Their report noted: “The inactions taken by the staff may have caused further complications to Blake’s injuries.”
Little Dreams Nursery said: “We have been disappointed by some aspects of the reports from the Care Inspectorate and have appealed the findings. These discussions are still ongoing.”