Six women arrested over infant’s death in nursery

Manslaughter inquiry after one-year-old boy collapsed with a cardiac arrest in Dudley before Christmas

SIX women have been arrested in connection with the death of a one-year-old boy at a nursery in the West Midlands.

The infant had been attending the Fairytales Day Nursery in Dudley when he collapsed and suffered a cardiac arrest on Dec 9.

He was rushed to hospital but never recovered and was pronounced dead later that day.

Police initially said there were no suspicious circumstances, but a criminal investigation was launched last month following a visit to the nursery by Ofsted inspectors.

Three women aged 20, 23 and 50 were arrested on Dec 16 on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter.

They have all been released on bail with strict conditions as enquiries continue.

On Wednesday, three more women, aged 51, 53 and 37 were also arrested by West Midlands Police.

Two of them were arrested on suspicion of corporate manslaughter, while the other was arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter.

A spokesman for the West Midlands Police said: “We are treating the death of the boy as suspicious and an investigation is under way.

“The family of the baby boy is being supported by specially trained officers.

“A post mortem has taken place but further tests will be conducted to establish the exact cause of death.”

West Midlands Ambulance Service said paramedics and an air ambulance had been called to the nursery on Bourne Street, Dudley at about 3.20pm Dec 9.

They found the boy in a critical condition and he was rushed by ambulance to Dudley’s Russells Hall Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Police confirmed that the nursery has been closed by Ofsted along with another nearby premises operated by the same company.

Ofsted, which rated the nursery as “good” in 2019 and “outstanding” three years earlier, said it had received concerns that the nursery was not meeting some safeguarding and welfare requirements.

Its registration was suspended amid fears by officials that “children may be at risk of harm”.

It is also alleged that the nursery had failed to notify Ofsted of a change in manager, which is an offence.

On its website, the nursery stated

‘We are treating the death of the boy as suspicious and an investigation is under way’

that it operates out of three private settings in Dudley town centre and offers childcare for families with children aged from three months to nine years.

It said: “We aim to provide a loving and caring environment for children to be able to learn in and be happy when away from their families, we have a team of dedicated staff who work hard to look after the children as if they were their own.

“We cater for all children and have on site cooks who can provide dietary requirements as needed.”

“Staff have a range of qualifications from level 2 in Early Years right through to level 7, this enables us to have the best knowledge available.

“All staff are fully vetted to enable a secure environment for your child and all staff are first aid trained.

“Staff have a comprehensive training platform to ensure their knowledge is updated.”