A nursery worker has been sentenced to three years and four months in prison following the tragic suffocation of 14-month-old Noah Sibanda. The toddler died after staff at Fairytales Day Nursery in Dudley tried to force him to sleep by restraining him in a tightly wrapped sleeping bag.
Shocking CCTV Shows Struggles Inside ‘Sleeping Pod’
CCTV footage revealed terrible scenes of Noah lying face down in a sleeping bag with a blanket covering his head, as nursery worker Kimberley Cookson, 23, held him down with her leg. Prosecutor John Elvidge told Wolverhampton Crown Court that Noah was seen “thrashing around” before Cookson pinned him to restrict his movement. 
Despite Noah’s continued struggles, Cookson tightened the sleeping bag, telling the court she “deserved to be punished.” At 1:10pm, Noah stopped moving. Staff only realised he was unresponsive moments later and started CPR, but sadly Noah was later pronounced dead in hospital.
Nursery Owner and Company Face Heavy Fines
The private Fairytales Day Nursery, now closed, was found guilty of corporate manslaughter and a health and safety offence. The nursery was fined £240,000 with an additional £56,000 in costs ordered by Judge Justice Choudhury. Owner Deborah Latewood, 55, received a six-month prison sentence suspended for two years after admitting she should have acted on the dangerous sleep practices staff used.
Parents Speak Out: ‘They Were Playing Russian Roulette With Our Children’
Noah’s mother, Masi Sibanda, told the court she had “naively trusted” the nursery and said, “Behind closed doors, they were playing Russian Roulette with our children.” She described Noah as a patient, kind, and confident child and expressed deep guilt over his death. Noah’s father, Thulani Sibanda, revealed the devastating impact on his mental health, saying, “Noah deserved to live, he deserved to be protected, and we deserved to watch him grow up.”
Apprentice Worker Admits Gross Negligence Manslaughter
Kimberley Cookson began working at the nursery at 16 and learned swaddling on the job. She told police she believed covering children’s faces was acceptable if airflow wasn’t blocked, but couldn’t explain why she acted so harshly toward Noah on the day he died. Cookson expressed remorse to the court, saying, “I never set out to harm anyone,” and that the incident would haunt her forever. Her lawyer highlighted workplace failures, calling the nursery a “toxic place” with inadequate staff training and supervision.
Unsafe Sleep Setup Was ‘Exceptionally Dangerous’
The court heard the blue sleeping bag used was a “three-season sleeping pod” designed for outdoor camping, not indoor napping. Prosecutor Elvidge described the sleep environment as “exceptionally dangerous,” causing exhaustion, overheating, and breathing difficulties for Noah.
