An eight-week-old baby died after being illicitly given an antihistamine by a night nanny, who is still working in childcare due to a lack of regulation and a bungled police investigation, a coroner has warned. Senior coroner Fiona Wilcox issued a Prevention of Future Deaths report highlighting that there is 'no national regulation system for nannies' in the UK.
The baby died in January 2024 in west London. Toxicology tests later revealed chlorphenamine, a sedative ingredient in antihistamines like Piriton, in his system. The coroner said the nanny 'probably' administered the drug to sedate the 'fussy' baby to sleep. However, by the time she was formally interviewed months later, vital forensic evidence had been lost.
The Metropolitan Police failed to search the family home, seize feeding bottles, or properly examine the nanny's belongings, as officers were too easily 'reassured' by the 'well presented' environment. Wilcox recorded an open verdict, noting that while the drug could have caused or contributed to the death, it could not be proven it probably did.
The coroner has taken the extraordinary step of calling on the National Crime Agency to investigate whether the same drug has been involved in other unexplained deaths across the UK. Unlike childminders and nursery staff, nannies are subject to zero compulsory oversight, meaning there is no central body to strike them off after a tragedy.
The National Nanny Association said the tragedy underscores the urgent need for reform, warning that babies are being left at the mercy of unregulated professionals who can move from agency to agency. The Lullaby Trust cautioned that using substances to make babies sleep longer may increase the risk of sudden infant death syndrome.
