Nursery boss accused of manslaughter ‘sang stop whingeing’ to tragic baby
A NURSERY boss took against a baby in her care and sang “stop your whingeing” to her days before she died, a court has heard.
Nine-month-old Genevieve “Gigi” Meehan was allegedly strapped facedown to a bean bag by Kate Roughley, 37, who swaddled her so tightly in a blanket that she was unable to move, prosecutors said.
Genevieve was later found unresponsive and blue and was pronounced dead that day in hospital.
Nursery deputy manager Roughley denies the manslaughter of Genevieve by ill-treatment and an alternative count of child cruelty at Tiny Toes Nursery on May 9, 2022.
Earlier Genevieve’s mother, Katie Wheeler, told Manchester Crown Court the last thing she said to her daughter as she dropped her off at the nursery in Cheadle Hulme, Greater Manchester, was: “I love you sweetie.”
The jury saw CCTV footage from Tiny Toes before the tragedy, in which prosecutors claim Roughley appeared to have “taken against” Genevieve for “some inexplicable reason”.
In one clip, Roughley sings to the crying tot: “Genevieve, Genevieve... stop your whingeing Genevieve.”
Later, Roughley moves Genevieve to a better seating position after she had rolled over. She says: “Woah, I knew you weren’t sat right. Sit properly, stress head. No, stop throwing yourself about in a strop.”
At around 11am, Roughley picks up crying Genevieve under her armpits before putting her in a high chair. She then tells the tot: “I hate to say I told you so, but you should have slept better Genevieve...no, you silly girl.You better go home early today.”
Roughley, from nearby Heaton Norris, then says: “Genevieve I’ll put you right the way down there so I can’t hear you.”
At around 3pm, Genevieve is sitting in a high chair being fed by Roughley, who then puts her on the floor. She says: “I can’t believe she just broke my nail, anything else Genevieve?
“Genevieve, if we had any chance of being friends, you just blew it.” At 4.13pm, the child is crying on a play mat and Roughley is heard singing to her: “Genevieve, go home please, I’m even asking nicely – you are driving me bananas and they ain’t even wearing pyjamas.” Ms Wheeler told the court Genevieve was “bright, alert and her normal mischievous self” on the day she died. Her partner John Meehan drove them to Tiny Toes and as he waited in the car, she dropped Genevieve off inside and told her: “I love you, sweetie.” The trial continues.