Former nursery owner faces safety charges over toddler's death » Communities » 24dash.com

The former owner of a nursery where a baby girl died after wrapping a drawstring bag around her neck has been charged with failing to take measures to stop the "entanglement and strangulation" of children, a court heard today.

Sixteen-month-old Molly Cunliffe strangled herself on a clothes bag attached to her cot at Tiddlywinks Nursery in Gloucester after she was left unattended for more than 20 minutes.

Last year an inquest jury returned a verdict of unlawful killing after hearing that Molly had been left in the care of a 17-year-old student and an unqualified member of staff while senior managers held a meeting upstairs.

The city council has now charged Rosemarie Meadows, 45, who owned the nursery at the time of the tragedy in October 2005, with two counts of breaching health and safety regulations.

Meadows, of Oldbury Orchard, Churchdown, was due to enter her pleas at Gloucester Magistrates' Court today. But the case was adjourned so that defence lawyer Simon Morgan could have a "deep discussion" with his client.

The first charge alleges that Meadows "failed to make sufficient assessment of the risks to health and safety of babies and toddlers, arising out of conduct at Tiddlywinks Nursery, in that no risk assessment addressed the risk of entanglement and strangulation arising from the presence of loops and cords in the presence of babies and toddlers".

The second similar charge claims that she failed to ensure that persons in the nursery were not exposed to risks to their health. Both allegations cover January 1, 2004 to October 21, 2005.

Molly's parents, Keata Glenton, 30, and Matthew Cunliffe, 29, were in court, but Meadows was not. The couple, who now have another daughter, Ella, chose not to comment after the hearing today.

Previously Ms Glenton said her heart had been "ripped out" by the events at the Worcester Street nursery, which has now closed.

Two weeks after Molly was found unconscious, doctors said there was no hope of her recovering, and her parents agreed to her life-support machine being switched off.

The current case will return to Gloucester on September 12 when Meadows will enter pleas.