Noah Sibanda's 'harrowing' final moments caught on CCTV as Dudley nursery's 'unsafe sleeping practices' exposed
April 17, 2026
*WARNING* This article features distressing footage
A Dudley nursery worker has been jailed and the nursery itself has admitted to corporate manslaughter following the tragic death of 14-month-old Noah Sibanda. The case exposed what a judge described as “shocking” and “dangerous” sleeping practices that were an “established” routine at Fairytales Day Nursery. The court heard harrowing details of Noah's final moments, which were captured on the nursery's CCTV system on December 9, 2022. The footage revealed the toddler being tightly wrapped in a sleeping bag, with a blanket placed over his head, before being put face down on a cushion to sleep.
Nursery practitioner Kimberley Cookson, 23, was sentenced to three years and four months in prison after pleading guilty to gross negligence manslaughter. The CCTV footage showed Cookson restraining the child with her leg in an attempt to make him sleep. Noah was left unchecked for a significant period before he was found unresponsive. He was later pronounced dead at a hospital. The judge noted that there were "repeated instances of rough handling of babies by several of the nursery practitioners, including Miss Cookson, often in view of a manager".
The company, Fairytales Day Nursery Limited, admitted to corporate manslaughter and a health and safety offence, resulting in a £240,000 fine. The nursery's owner, Deborah Latewood, 55, received a six-month suspended prison sentence for a health and safety violation, on the basis that she should have been aware of the dangerous sleeping arrangements. The prosecution argued that the nursery's practices created a "suffocating environment" and that the risk of death was "highly foreseeable". The nursery has since been permanently closed by the education watchdog Ofsted.
The case has sent shockwaves through the community and highlighted systemic failures at the now-defunct nursery. During the sentencing, victim impact statements from Noah's parents were read, expressing their immeasurable loss. His mother, Masi, stated, "I handed Noah over to the people who killed him," while his father, Thulani, said, "My son died at just 14-months-old because of the gross negligence of someone who was trusted to care for him". The judge acknowledged that it was "blind luck" that no other children had died at the nursery before this tragedy.
In the wake of this case, Ofsted has expressed its condolences to the family and stated that new government funding will allow for more frequent nursery inspections. The tragic death of Noah Sibanda serves as a stark reminder of the immense responsibility held by childcare providers and the devastating consequences of failing to ensure a safe environment for children. The legal proceedings have now concluded, but the impact of this "every parent's worst nightmare" will continue to be felt by all those involved.
Source: birminghammail