Council to carry out an investigation into Tiny Toes Nursery in Stockport

Stockport Council has confirmed its investigation into the nursery will continue now the trial of Kate Roughley of Heaton Norris, the former deputy manager of the setting, has come to a close.

Roughley was found guilty of the manslaughter of nine-month-old Genevieve by a jury on Monday.

Stockport Council said it has a ‘responsibility for any investigations and enforcement of the provisions in the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 in respect of any accident or death in a childcare setting (non-domestic premises, not part of a school and independently run).’

The council has been working with Greater Manchester Police since 2022, however had to pause its investigation in light of Roughley’s trial at Manchester Crown Court.

A tribute to Genevieve

Following the verdict, Genevieve’s family have released a tribute to their daughter.

It states, ‘It has been just over two years since our beautiful and wonderful daughter’s life was taken from her. Genevieve’s loss has destroyed our family. We grieve for her every day. We long desperately to see her smile, hear her laugh and feel her warm embrace. Her absence is a physical and emotional wound that will never heal.

‘Genevieve wasn’t just a baby, she was a person. She loved to laugh, to play with her tambourine, to eat Spaghetti Bolognese and to be with her big sister. She was kind, affectionate, independent and mischievous. She was fascinated with the world and everything in it. She embraced every day. She loved life and we loved her instantly.

‘We will never accept the cruelty of her life being taken away. That we will not get to hear her speak her first words or watch her grow up is impossible to comprehend. Genevieve could have done anything she wanted to. She had her whole life to live and was loved so dearly by her family.

‘We grieve for what we do not have. Words cannot adequately convey how much we miss Genevieve. We are so desperate for her to be in our arms as she should be and watching her put on her school uniform in September when she would have started pre-school. Instead, we are here in a place we could never have imagined when we took her to nursery that day on 9 May where she was meant to be safe and cared for. The pain of her loss is beyond any measure.'

They also thanked the Police for their ‘dedication to getting justice for Genevieve’, and for the work of the CPS and their legal team.

‘Our beautiful daughter deserves to be remembered for the wonderful person she is, not the nature of her death. She deserves to have a legacy so that her life can inspire others. As a family, we will work tirelessly to ensure she has the legacy she deserves.’