A mother has shared her terrifying experience after a grandfather mistakenly picked up her sleeping two-year-old daughter from nursery and drove away with her. The mix-up occurred at Kids Planet Crosby in Liverpool, and it took at least 10 minutes before staff realised the error.
Mother's Panic
Jody Riley, 37, from Formby, was working at a nearby cafe when she received a call from the nursery informing her that her daughter, Rosie McDonald, had been collected by someone else. The nursery assured her that the toddler had been safely returned after another child's grandfather accidentally took her.
Jody told the Liverpool Echo: 'They let me know she was back at the nursery safe and everything felt like a blur from there. I had a panic attack and I had to try and calm myself down to go and get her. Getting that call is every parent's worst nightmare.'
Security Concerns
Jody, who runs a business with her partner Gary McDonald, 40, usually collects Rosie at 3pm or 5pm. She noted that the nursery uses facial recognition technology and requires knocking on the toddler room door. She questioned how the grandfather bypassed these security measures.
'Rosie is a light sleeper and wakes up when you pick her up,' Jody said. 'I don't understand how he was able to get through two security doors, enter the toddler room, pick up my sleeping child, and then leave the building, strap her into his car and drive off with her without anyone noticing.'
Emotional Reunion
When Jody arrived at the nursery, Rosie shouted 'mummy' and hugged her. Jody added: 'By the time I got to the nursery she was upstairs, back in the room and when they brought her down to see me she was shouting mummy and wrapping her arms around me.'
Admitting she has barely slept, Jody said the nursery apologised profusely but she will not send Rosie back and will care for her full-time for now.
Nursery Investigation
An investigation is underway. A Kids Planet spokesperson said: 'We can confirm an incident occurred at our Crosby setting where a child was mistakenly released to a grandparent known to staff, who is an approved collector for a different child. The child was returned safely within minutes. We are in direct contact with the families and have implemented immediate measures including supervised working, additional security protocols, and revised policies. We have self-referred to Ofsted and the Local Authority Designated Officer.'
