Nursery Worker Convicted After Handling Toddler 'Like Bag of Rubbish' in Disturbing Incident
A mother was forced to race to her son's nursery after learning the 16-month-old had been handled inappropriately by a staff member, with prosecutors describing the action as picking him up 'like a bag of rubbish for the night time collection'. The distressing case unfolded at South Sefton Magistrates' Court, where nursery worker Elizabeth Adeagbo was found guilty of assault.
Court Hears Details of Alarming Nursery Incident
The 29-year-old teaching assistant, employed by agency Teaching Personnel at a nursery in the Wirral, claimed she lifted the child by his arm because she 'didn't want to soak him' with her wet apron. The incident occurred around 9:30am on April 16 last year when the 'happy-go-lucky' child grabbed her trouser leg while she was washing breakfast dishes.
In CCTV footage shown to the court, Adeagbo is seen lifting the boy by his left upper arm and carrying him across the classroom. The young child is visibly crying during and after the incident. Prosecuting barrister Edward Handley told magistrates that Adeagbo knew this was an inappropriate way to handle a child but proceeded regardless.
Mother's Harrowing Experience and Court Outcome
The mother, who cannot be named for legal reasons, received a phone call from the nursery hours after the incident. 'I couldn't process what they were saying,' she told the Liverpool Echo. 'I just had to get there and see him, see that he was OK.' She immediately took her son to A&E, where thankfully no physical harm was detected, but the psychological impact remained profound.
'It's a massive thing for a parent, dropping your child off at nursery,' the mother explained. 'You expect them to be safe. What she has done is wrong. They're looking after the youngest, most vulnerable children.' She added that while her son likely won't remember the incident, she is the one who had to watch the distressing CCTV footage.
Defence Arguments and Worker's Background
Defending barrister Caleb Suggitt told the court that Adeagbo, who moved to the UK from Nigeria in 2023 where she worked as a teacher, had previously worked at two nurseries through the agency with no complaints. She also had a 17-month-old son of her own at the time of the incident.
'Adeagbo is an experienced child care assistant,' Suggitt stated. 'She now recognises it wasn't the most appropriate way to pick up a child and shows obvious remorse. It was never her intention to harm a child.' Adeagbo accepted during proceedings that she was wrong to handle the child in that manner and that she hadn't actually removed her wet apron during the act as she had claimed.
Verdict and Sentencing
Magistrates found Adeagbo guilty of section 39 assault by beating, a charge she had denied. She is scheduled to be sentenced at Liverpool Magistrates' Court on May 14. The mother expressed relief that the court recognized what happened to her son was wrong, but described it as 'a deeply sad situation.'
'It's vital that standards of care for children are upheld,' she emphasized. 'Leaving your children at nursery for the first time is a significant and emotional step. No family should have to fear that their child will come to harm. It's shaken our confidence.' The case highlights ongoing concerns about childcare standards and the vulnerability of young children in nursery settings.
