A two-year-old girl suffered a fractured skull and eye socket after falling two metres from a bandstand during a nursery trip in Penzance, Cornwall. The incident occurred on Tuesday, June 23, while the child was on an outing from Little Explorers PZ LTD nursery. Her mother, Kimberley, was initially told by nursery staff that her daughter had only a "bump and a graze." However, upon arriving at the nursery, she found her daughter with a swollen face, split lip, and black eye. The child was taken to Royal Cornwall Hospital where a CT scan revealed a fractured skull and eye socket, as well as concussion.
Mother's Account of the Incident
Kimberley received a missed call from the nursery and a message saying her daughter had fallen. She left work immediately and arrived at the nursery 35 minutes later. She described finding the lights off and her daughter sleeping, despite having a head injury. "I went into shock," she said. The manager offered to take her to the hospital, but Kimberley noted that she had driven past the hospital to reach the nursery, questioning why her daughter had not already been taken there. Amethyst struggled to stay awake and was rushed for a CT scan via blue light ambulance.
Ofsted Suspension
Following the incident, Ofsted suspended Little Explorers PZ LTD from providing childcare, citing a potential risk of harm to children. In a letter to parents, Ofsted stated: "We have suspended the registration because we reasonably believe that the continued provision of childcare may expose children to a risk of harm." The suspension is temporary while enquiries are made. The nursery, which opened in September of the previous year, must not provide registered childcare during the suspension.
Police Investigation
Devon and Cornwall Police conducted a safeguarding enquiry. A spokesperson said: "We have conducted a safeguarding enquiry... At this time, no criminal offences have been identified but should further information be reported, it will be reviewed and progressed accordingly." Kimberley and her partner were warned by police not to view the CCTV footage of the fall, as it was deemed too distressing.
Mother's Concerns
Kimberley expressed devastation over how the nursery handled the incident. She was not asked to fill out an accident form and felt the severity was downplayed. She said: "I'm still not entirely sure what even happened." A hospital discharge summary listed Amethyst's injuries, including a black eye, bruising, swelling, dried blood, and a skull fracture extending into her eye socket. Little Explorers PZ LTD did not respond to requests for comment.
