Ofsted Closes Nursery After Baby's Death

Fri, April 21, 2006

Source: Guardian Unlimited

The education standards watchdog has closed a nursery and launched an urgent investigation into the death of a baby girl who may have choked on a piece of apple.

The education standards watchdog has closed a nursery and launched an urgent investigation into the death of a baby girl who may have choked on a piece of apple.
Ofsted today suspended the registration of the Just Learning nursery in Cambourne, Cambridgeshire. It is the second time the nursery has faced a major inquiry into its standards of childcare.

An investigation was launched after a 15-month-old girl suffered a broken arm in September 2004. Charges of cruelty against three members of staff were later dropped after the Crown Prosecution Service decided there was insufficient evidence.

A Just Learning spokeswoman confirmed today that all three women involved in the earlier inquiry had been reinstated at the nursery after the charges were dropped.

An Ofsted spokeswoman said: "The nursery is currently suspended pending an investigation by the police and ourselves."

Police confirmed a 10-month-old girl died at the nursery, possibly after choking.

A Cambridgeshire police spokeswoman said: "Officers were alerted to the death of the 10-month-old baby girl by staff at Addenbrooke's hospital.

"The baby had been taken to the hospital by ambulance yesterday morning from the Just Learning nursery in the High Street, Cambourne.

"Police are now investigating the circumstances surrounding the baby's death. Initial inquiries point to the possibility that she may have choked on a piece of food, possibly an apple. We have launched an investigation to establish the cause of the baby's death, but inquiries are still at an early stage."

The spokeswoman said a postmortem was due to be carried out at Addenbrooke's hospital today by Cambridge pathologist Flora Jessop.

"Until the results of the postmortem have been made available, it would be inappropriate for us to speculate on how the baby died," she said.

She said the baby's name would not be released until the postmortem was complete and formal identification had taken place.

A Just Learning spokesman said today: "We deeply regret this tragedy and all our thoughts are with the child's parents. A full investigation is taking place to ascertain exactly what happened and the authorities have been informed."

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