Nursery worker jailed and company fined after death of toddler
A nursery practitioner has been jailed for the gross negligence manslaughter of a 14‑month‑old boy who died after being suffocated while staff tried to make him fall asleep.
Toddler Noah Sibanda died at Fairytales Day Nursery on 9 December 2022 after being physically restrained face down on a cushion, with a blanket over his face and a leg placed over him.
Prison sentence for nursery practitioner
Nursery practitioner Kimberley Cookson, 23, was today (17 April 2026) jailed for three years and four months at Wolverhampton Crown Court, having previously pleaded guilty to gross negligence manslaughter in relation to her conduct in making Noah sleep.
CCTV from the nursery showed Noah tightly wrapped in a sleeping bag, with a blanket placed over his head, and laid face down to sleep by Cookson. She then held him in place face down on a soft cushion, restraining him with her leg for part of the time, in what appeared to be an attempt to make him sleep when he did not want to.
After a considerable period, it was noticed that Noah was not breathing. Emergency services were called, but he was later pronounced dead in hospital.
Nursery company fined for corporate manslaughter
Fairytales Day Nursery Limited was fined £240,000 after previously admitting one count of corporate mans