UK: Nursery worker who strapped nine-month-old girl to beanbag found guilty of murder

A nursery worker in the United Kingdom is facing charges for claiming the life of a nine-month-old baby girl.

Kate Roughley strapped Genevieve Meehan's face down to a beanbag for almost 90 minutes before she suffocated and died.

The 37-year-old Roughley, who is the deputy manager of Tiny Toes nursery in Cheadle Hulme, Stockport, placed in "mortal danger" as a "punishment", heard the trial.

She was found guilty of Meehan's manslaughter following a four-week-long trial at a Manchester court and will be sentenced on Wednesday (May 22).

As per local media reports, the court heard that Meehan, who was called by her family as Gigi, was found strapped face down to a beanbag, swaddled in a blanket on 9 May 2022, in Tiny Toes' baby room.

Gigi's father, John Meehan, outside of the court said that his daughter's death had destroyed the family and there was not even a day when they did not grieve for her.

“We long desperately to see her smile, to hear her laugh and to feel her warm embrace,” John said.

“To many, Genevieve is just a baby that was seen on CCTV, or discussed in evidence during this trial. But to us, she is our precious and wonderful daughter, and she is not to be defined by the manner of her death," he said.

“She was a person. She loved to laugh, to play with her tambourine, to eat spaghetti bolognese and to spend time with her big sister. She was kind, affectionate … and mischievous,” he further added.

'Will not forgive the callousness of Roughley’s actions,' says John

John then said that his family had trusted Roughley with the responsibility of his daughter's well-being, however, she put her own convenience and selfish interests above Gigi's life.

“Knowing what she had done, she could have taken responsibility and saved our family from enduring the horror of this trial. However, such a basic act of decency was beyond her. Instead, she has lied and lied and lied throughout and has sought to deflect attention to anyone but herself,” he said.

(With inputs from agencies)