A nursery nurse who killed a baby by strapping her face down to a bean bag has been sentenced to 14 years in prison, the Independent reported. The court heard how Kate Roughley strapped nine-month-old Genevieve Meehan face down onto a bean bag for more than 90 minutes as a punishment for not sleeping for long enough. The nurse then tightly swaddled her before she further restrained her with a harness and then inappropriately covered her with a blanket.
The baby ultimately suffocated to death at Tiny Toes Nursery in Cheadle Hulme, Stockport, on May 9 2022. Despite paramedics' efforts to save her, she was pronounced dead later that day in hospital.
A jury unanimously found Roughley guilty of manslaughter by ill-treatment this week following a four-week trial at Manchester Crown Court. Jurors were in tears when they watched nursery CCTV footage of the baby room, which captured the tragedy unfolding.
Prosecutor Peter Wright KC said the baby's desperate fight for survival was clear but her crying and the thrashing and writhing of her body were routinely and repeatedly ignored.
Mrs Justice Ellenbogen told Roughley that Genevieve's death was "absolutely avoidable" and that she had "no genuine remorse" for the baby's death.
Justice Ellenbogen further said: "As the harrowing CCTV audio and video footage showed, that day you left Genevieve in that position only carrying the most cursory and infrequent of checks. I am certain that every person in this courtroom who watched that footage was willing you to pick her up and remove her from the danger you had placed her, knowing of course that you didn't."
She continued: "You berated her for only sleeping for 20 minutes having called her vile. She was placed on a beanbag... notwithstanding her kicking wriggling, arching of her back and tears you left her there. Her crying intensified, and acquired a grunting tone... even then you didn't approach her, pick her up, or show concern for her welfare. You left her to die. Your interactions palpably lacked any care, kindness or concern for her wellbeing."
Inspector Charlotte Whalley, the senior investigating officer said: "This has been a truly harrowing and disturbing investigation. The impact of Roughley's abhorrent crime is immense and far-reaching. Genevieve's life was robbed, and others must now live with the painful consequences of Roughley's actions."
The defendant's case was that Genevieve's death was a "terrible and unavoidable accident" and not the result of any unlawful acts.
