Six female suspects have been apprehended in the wake of the tragedy involving a one-year-old child at a daycare center located in West Midlands.

On December 9, the toddler was being looked after at Fairytales Day Nursery in Dudley when he suddenly collapsed at 3.20pm.

Emergency personnel rushed to Bourne Street’s nursery following reports that he had experienced a cardiac arrest.

Despite all attempts to restore life back into the boy, tragically he passed away at the scene. West Midlands Police are deeming his death as suspicious in nature.

A criminal investigation was triggered in response to the Ofsted visit after a young boy’s death.

On December 14, the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills took immediate action by closing down the nursery due to the potential risk of harm posed to children. Consequently, they suspended its registration until further notice.

On Friday, 16 December, three women – 20, 23, and 50 years of age respectively – were taken into custody for allegedly committing gross negligence manslaughter. Following the arrest, all three have been granted bail.

Yesterday, three additional women – ages 51, 53, and 37 – were taken into custody.

Two persons were taken into custody on the grounds of corporate manslaughter, and another individual was apprehended for gross negligence manslaughter.

The police are providing the boy’s family with specialized officers to offer them support during this difficult time. A post-mortem examination has been conducted, however further tests will be done in order to ascertain the precise cause of death.

On December 9th of last year, at 3.19 pm the West Midlands Ambulance Service was alerted to an emergency in Bourne Street – deploying two ambulances, a trauma doctor, and an air ambulance to the location immediately.

“On arrival crews found a child in a critical condition.”

“Medics commenced advanced life support which continued en route to Russells Hall Hospital (Dudley) by ambulance.”

Unfortunately, despite the tireless efforts of medical professionals, the child sadly passed away.

Ofsted expressed worries in their report about the nursery’s ability to meet ‘safeguarding and welfare requirements’.

To ensure the safety of those at the nursery, inspectors swiftly closed it and provided nine suggestions for improvement that focused on staff training.

They expressed their worries that they were not alerted of the replacement of the nursery’s manager.

Management instructed personnel to give more frequent examinations to sleeping newborns and ensure they are being laid down in a secure manner.

In order to ensure the safety of sleeping children, inspectors recommended that staff have “appropriate qualifications, training skills, and knowledge.”

In an alarming analysis, the report concluded that staff should “take all reasonable steps to ensure children in your care are not exposed to risks, paying particular attention to risks in the baby room.”

A spokesperson from Ofsted declared: “We don’t comment on individual providers and it would be inappropriate for us to comment on the circumstances surrounding this child’s tragic death while a police investigation is underway.”

“However, we suspended this nursery’s registration on December 14, because we believed children may be at risk of harm.”

“Inspectors visited the nursery the following day and issued a welfare requirements notice, setting out a range of actions the nursery must take to make sure children are safe.”

“We are supporting the police with their ongoing investigation.”

Established in 2003, this nursery has been providing care for children from the tender age of three months old. Last February, Ofsted awarded it with a ‘Good’ rating due to its exemplary services and efforts.

On the day preceding the boy’s death, employees at the nursery took to Facebook to rejoice about their pay-raise.

They said: “So the government is raising the wages for all staff. I am so happy for this as early years is low paid but hard work.”

“I would pay my team the earth, they work so hard under stressful circumstances and are some of the best people I have had the pleasure to work with however with insurance, food, pensions, electricity, gas to name a few costs rising there is a serious lack of funding from the government to support us and parents.”

“We must get proper funding to support parents in being able to access affordable, good childcare in this country.”

In 2019, the nursery facility was fined $3,000 after health inspectors discovered mouse droppings littering the kitchen area.