The mother of a nine-month-old baby daughter who died after allegedly being strapped face-down to a beanbag by a nursery worker said the weekend before the horror incident was the 'happiest' in her life.

Katie Wheeler said her daughter was babbling and playing the weekend before her death and was her 'usual mischievous self' the day she took her to nursery, when her last words to her were 'I love you, sweetie'.

Genevieve Zofia Meehan was nine months old when she was found unresponsive at Tiny Toes Children's Day Nursery in Cheadle Hulme, Stockport, Greater Manchester, in May 2022.

Ms Wheeler said that on the day of the incident, Genevieve was watching her get ready for work and rummaging for various items in her handbag, before her and husband John Meehan dropped her off seemingly happy at the centre.

She said: 'I had put suncream on her, which she found ticklish and funny. When I dropped her off [at nursery] I said to her 'I love you, sweetie'. 

'John told me he watched her go in and she seemed happy and then I went home and went to work.'

Pictured: Nursery worker Kate Roughley allegedly strapped Genevieve face-down on a bean bag, holding her so tightly in a blanket that she was unable to move

Roughley, the deputy manager of Tiny Toes nursery in Cheadle, Manchester has pleaded not guilty to manslaughter by ill treatment; and child cruelty

The nine-month-old Genevieve Meehan was rushed to hospital after being found 'unresponsive and blue' at Tiny Toes, in Cheadle Hulme, Greater Manchester, on the afternoon of May 9, 2022

She added: 'I remember that weekend as one of our happiest. She was very happy and well.' 

Prosecutors allege Genevieve was strapped face-down to a bean bag by deputy nursery manager Kate Roughley, who swaddled her so tightly in a blanket she was unable to move.

Roughley, 37, allegedly strapped Genevieve with a harness and left her there crying and thrashing for more than half an hour, Manchester Crown Court has heard.

READ MORE: Mother of a nine-month baby girl who died after being left face down for 90 minutes on a nursery bean bag was told by bosses at the day care that 'safety was paramount', court hears
Advertisement

While Genevieve struggled, Roughley ignored her cries and placed a blanket on top of her that covered her almost head to foot, prosecutors have alleged.

Genevieve was found blue and unresponsive on the afternoon of 9 May 2022. Roughley has pleaded not guilty to manslaughter by ill treatment; and child cruelty.

Prosecutor Martin Reid KC read statements from Genevieve's parents, Katie Wheeler and John Meehan, who said she had various ailments after being born prematurely.

Ms Wheeler said: 'I wish to make this statement to talk about and honour my beautiful daughter Genevieve. Gigi was not just a baby, she was a person with her likes and dislikes, her loves and her frustrations. She was a complete person.

'Owing to her beautiful French name, she adopted a French persona in our house and was often voiced by me with a French accent. We used to joke it would be very strange when she started talking properly and would not actually speak French.'

'She spent lots of time playing on her toy mat and she was able to support herself while standing, and was also moving around on the floor with great determination and speed, babbling as she liked to and saying 'dada dada'.'

Ms Wheeler said Genevieve had been in hospital a few weeks prior to the incident and was being treated for bronchiolitis. 

Her daughter had been given an inhaler but was weaned off it and was in 'good health' by the time she returned to nursery, she said.

Ms Wheeler said: 'I'm a very cautious and careful person by nature, particularly of my children. I was not concerned about her health before she went to nursery.

Roughley outside Manchester Crown Court. Jurors were previously told Genevieve was left virtually immobilised and face down from 1:35pm to 3:12pm when she found her blue and unresponsive and raised the alarm

'She was her usual bright happy self, and no person at the nursery raised any concerns about her health.'

Mr Meehan said he had driven them to drop off Genevieve at the nursery on Mellor Road. He said he stayed in the car while his wife took her inside.

Mr Meehan said he later got a call from his wife, stating: 'I answered the phone and she told me she had a phone call from the nursery who said Genevieve was found unresponsive and blue and an ambulance was on its way to the nursery.

'I immediately turned around and got in my car. Katie then phoned me back and informed me that the ambulance arrived and Gigi was being taken to Stepping Hill Hospital. They said it would take about 10 minutes.'

He said he arrived at the A&E department before Ms Wheeler and her mother. He said he could see CPR being performed on Genevieve by paramedics.

Mr Meehan continued: 'I remained in hospital as doctors tried to save her. I saw Katie and her mother leave the room. Doctors and nurses approached me and asked if I wanted to go with them.

'I wanted to stay with Genevieve. I overheard the doctors having a conversation about stopping CPR. We were then told they were going to stop treatment and they could not save Genevieve.'

Jurors were previously told Genevieve was left virtually immobilised and face down from 1:35pm to 3:12pm when Ms Roughley found her blue and unresponsive and raised the alarm.

Staff and then paramedics attempted to revive Genevieve but her condition was irreversible and she was pronounced dead later that day in hospital, the trial has been told.

Ms Roughley, from Heaton Norris, Stockport, denies manslaughter by ill treatment and an alternative charge of child cruelty. The trial continues.