A childcare worker convicted of manslaughter of a “wonderful” baby

A childcare worker will be sentenced today for causing the death of a little girl after she tied her face down to a beanbag for more than 90 minutes.

Kate Roughley, 37, tightly swaddled nine-month-old Genevieve Meehan before further restraining her with a harness and then inappropriately covering her with a blanket.

Roughley then failed to carry out adequate checks on the distressed infant before discovering him unconscious and blue on the afternoon of May 9, 2022.

Her colleagues at Tiny Toes nursery in Cheadle Hulme, Stockport, and paramedics attempted to resuscitate Genevieve, but her condition was irreversible and she was pronounced dead later that day in hospital.

On Monday, a jury at Manchester Crown Court unanimously found Roughley guilty of manslaughter by abuse after the prosecution said she “persecuted” the youngster for taking up too much of her time.

Genevieve, the daughter of lawyer John Meehan and barrister Katie Wheeler, died from asphyxia caused by a combination of pathophysiological stresses created by a “very dangerous sleeping environment”.

Roughley put Genevieve in “mortal danger” as she was “banished” to the beanbag for not sleeping long enough for her liking, the court heard.

Following the verdict, Genevieve's parents said they would “never forgive the insensitivity” of Roughley for treating their daughter with “cruelty and contempt”.

Mr Meehan said: “She was given custody of our daughter, but she placed her own convenience and selfish interests above Genevieve’s life.

“She showed no remorse for Genevieve’s death. His expressions of grief during the trial were as insincere as they were insulting.

“For many, Genevieve is just a baby who was seen on CCTV or used as evidence during this trial. But to us, she is our precious and wonderful daughter and she should not be defined by the way she died.

“He was a person. She loved laughing, playing with her tambourine, eating spaghetti bolognese and spending time with her big sister.

Some jurors were in tears at the start of the trial as they watched for the first time CCTV footage from the baby's room which showed the tragedy unfolding as Genevieve was “virtually immobilized” from 1:35 p.m. to 3:12 p.m.

Prosecutor Peter Wright KC said the girl's desperate fight for survival was clear, but her cries and the thrashing and contortions of her body were consistently and repeatedly ignored.

Roughley pretended to talk about any meaningful checks and Genevieve's well-being until it was too late, he said.

His actions were allegedly fueled by an “illogical and worrying hostility” towards the young person, revealed by other CCTV footage from May 5 and 6.

She was subjected to “rough handling,” the prosecution said, by Roughley, who called her a “stressed head” and told her on one occasion: “Genevieve, go home.” Do you have to be so loud and constant? Change the folder.

Roughley sang to her “Stop Whining” and “Genevieve Come Home.” Please, I'm even asking nicely. You’re driving me crazy and I’m not wearing pajamas.”

The defendant's argument was that Genevieve's death was a “terrible and unavoidable accident” and not the result of illegal acts.

Roughley, from Heaton Norris, Stockport, joined Tiny Toes straight from university aged 18 and said she gained most of her knowledge about working with babies and young children from colleagues.

She claimed she placed Genevieve on her side and remained in that position, with her face visible everywhere, until she made the grim discovery.

Roughley argued that she carried out proper and appropriate checks on Genevieve and denied that she did not love her.

It is understood a separate health and safety investigation into Tiny Toes, now closed, is underway.

Roughley will be sentenced by Judge Ellenbogen beginning at 2 p.m.