The parents of a nine-month-old girl who died in nursery care have issued a stark warning to the Prime Minister, stating there is "no cost on a child's life" and demanding immediate reforms to safeguard children.
A Tragedy That Demands Action
John and Katie Meehan will on Monday deliver a letter to Downing Street, urging Keir Starmer not to let the issue of nursery safety be "kicked into the long grass". Their daughter, Genevieve "Gigi" Meehan, died in May 2022 at a nursery in Cheadle Hulme, Greater Manchester.
The infant suffocated after being placed face-down, tightly swaddled, and strapped to a bean bag. The nursery worker responsible, Kate Roughley, was subsequently convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 14 years in prison.
The Campaign for Gigi's Legacy
Speaking to The Mirror, John Meehan described the unimaginable horror of receiving a call to say their child had died after being dropped off healthy. "There's a real anger," he said, "because we're very angry about what happened to Genevieve and we're angry that the situation is allowed to continue."
Last year, the couple, who have two other daughters, launched the "Campaign for Gigi". Its core demands include:
- Clear statutory safer sleep requirements for all childcare settings.
- More frequent and unannounced Ofsted inspections.
- Mandatory CCTV in all nurseries.
"Many of the campaign goals don't require any particular extensive funding or consultation. These are really simple, simple matters," John emphasised.
A Plea for Urgency to Prevent Further Harm
Katie Meehon questioned whether inaction stemmed from financial pressures, firmly stating: "There is no cost on a child's life." She remembered Gigi as the "happiest little soul" with a beaming smile.
"Genevieve's life has been taken from her. And for us, there has to be some meaning in that," Katie said. "But there has to be something that comes from it where you can say, because of Genevieve, other children are here... It's giving her a legacy."
The family pointed to other recent nursery tragedies, including the death of Noah Sibanda in Dudley and shocking abuse cases in Camden and Twickenham, as evidence of a systemic problem. "This shouldn't happen to any child," Katie asserted. "It shouldn't take the death of a child to make changes."
In a direct message to the Prime Minister, John Meehan added: "He cannot allow this to happen to any other child and to any other family... What we really want to press is the urgency of these [campaign goals]. These are changes that really need to come in now for children's safety."
Political Support and Government Response
Tom Morrison, the Liberal Democrat MP for Cheadle who has supported the family, expressed a mixture of "heartbreak and anger" at the slow pace of change since Gigi's death. "If we can't get our nurseries safe, then what are we doing here?" he asked.
In response, Early Education minister Olivia Bailey said: "Gigi's death was a devastating tragedy that should never have happened, and my thoughts are with her parents." She outlined government actions, including strengthening safeguarding, working on new CCTV guidance with an expert panel, collaborating with The Lullaby Trust on safer sleep, and reviewing the Early Years Foundation Stage. She confirmed every concern raised by the Campaign for Gigi was being carefully considered.
