Nursery worker jailed over death of toddler restrained during nap time

Nursery worker jailed for toddler restraint death14 minutes agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleJosh SandifordandChloe Hughes,West MidlandsFootage shows Kimberly Cookson put Noah face down on a cushion and restrained him with her legA nursery, its boss and a worker have been sentenced over the death of a 14-month-old boy who was subjected to "excessive" force as staff tried to make him sleep.The mother of Noah Sibanda said her child died "alone, scared and in pain" after being put in a sleeping pod at Fairytales Day Nursery in Dudley, West Midlands, on 9 December 2022.Nursery worker Kimberley Cookson, 23, was sentenced to three years and four months in prison for gross negligence manslaughter.Nursery owner Deborah Latewood, 55, was handed a suspended sentence of six months in prison for a health and safety offence, while the nursery was fined £240,000 for corporate manslaughter and a health and safety offence.Warning: This story contains details which some people may find distressingFamilyNoah's mother said her son died "alone, scared and in pain"During a two-day sentencing, CCTV played to the court showed Noah "struggling and thrashing" at the now-closed Bourne Street site. At the time, he was face down on a soft cushion inside a teepee in the nursery's baby room.Cookson wrapped the toddler tightly in blankets and placed her leg across his lower back for seven minutes, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard.Believing he had fallen asleep, the nursery worker then left him alone, but staff did not physically check on him for about two hours.He was found unresponsive at about 15:15 and pronounced dead in hospital an hour later.Noah's mother Masi Sibanda told Wolverhampton Crown Court she felt guilty "knowing I handed him over to people who killed him".West Midlands PoliceKimberley Cookson and Deborah Latewood were sentenced at Wolverhampton Crown CourtPassing sentence, Judge Justice Choudhury said CCTV of a b...