A mother from Merseyside has described the terrifying moment she learned that her two-year-old daughter had been picked up from nursery by a stranger. Jody Riley, 37, from Formby, received a call from Kids Planet Crosby at around 2.20pm, informing her that someone had taken her daughter Rosie and that they were investigating the incident.
Jody told the ECHO: "My phone rang and it took a while for the staff member to tell me what had happened. She eventually said somebody had picked Rosie up and they were still looking into it. They let me know she was back at the nursery safe, and everything felt like a blur. I had a panic attack and had to calm myself down to go and get her. Getting that call is every parent's worst nightmare, and I feel like I've had a taste of that now."
It emerged that another child's grandfather had accidentally picked up the sleeping toddler, strapped her into his car, and driven away. The mistake was not realized for at least 10 minutes. Jody expressed confusion over how the man managed to bypass security: "Rosie is a light sleeper and wakes up when you pick her up. I don't understand how he got through two security doors, entered the toddler room, picked up my sleeping child, left the building, strapped her into his car, and drove off without anyone noticing it wasn't his child."
Security Concerns and Aftermath
Jody and her partner Gary McDonald, both business owners, usually collect Rosie at 3pm or 5pm. The nursery uses facial recognition technology for entry, and parents must knock on the toddler room door. Jody noted: "You have to walk past the office and they tell you where your child is. His granddaughter was downstairs in the nursery garden, so I don't understand how this happened or how he walked out with no one stopping him."
When Jody arrived, Rosie was back upstairs and called out 'mummy' as she hugged her. "She knew something had happened. It wouldn't have been nice for her because she's really clingy with me and her dad," Jody said.
The mother is still seeking answers about how such a breach occurred. "The staff were shaken up and couldn't apologize enough, but they didn't have answers. I was still in shock and just wanted to see my daughter. I barely slept last night, and the more I process it, the more questions I have."
Nursery Response and Investigation
Kids Planet issued a statement confirming the incident: "A child was mistakenly released to a grandparent who is known to staff, has passed security vetting, and is an approved collector for a different child who was also onsite. The child was returned safely within minutes. We are in direct contact with the families, offering sincere apologies and support while a full investigation takes place. The safety and wellbeing of children is our highest priority. We have implemented immediate measures, including supervised working for the team, additional security protocols, and revised policies and training. We have made self-referrals to Ofsted and the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) and are cooperating fully."
Jody has decided to care for Rosie full-time and will not return her to the nursery. "I won't be able to get her into another nursery until at least September. At the minute, I just want to keep her with me at all times. Even though she's fine and happy, I feel so shaken up."
