'Her life was full of promise... and it was taken': Devastated parents vow to 'never forgive' nursery worker who killed their nine-month-old daughter by strapping her face down to a bean bag before ignoring her cries for 90 minutes

The parents of a baby killed by a 'callous' nursery worker said they could 'never forgive' her as she faces a lengthy jail term for their daughter's manslaughter.

John and Katie Meehan spoke for the first time about the loss of their nine-month-old daughter Genevieve Meehan - known as 'Gigi' - after jurors found Kate Roughley guilty of killing her.

Roughley is due to receive a maximum sentence of life imprisonment over the 'ill-treatment' of Genevieve who was left for over 90 minutes before being found 'unresponsive and blue'.

The 37-year-old worker from Heaton Norris, Stockport, was said to have ignored the 'serious and obvious' risks of strapping a baby face down on a bean bag to sleep.

Speaking about Manchester Crown Court today, barrister Mr Meehan said: 'We will never forgive the callousness of Kate Roughley's actions. She was entrusted with the care of or our daughter but instead she treated her with contempt.'

Genevieve Meehan was left for over 90 minutes before being found 'unresponsive and blue'

The lifeless body of nine-month-old Genevieve was found on the afternoon of May 9, 2022

John and Katie Meehan, the parents of Genevieve, outside Manchester Crown Court today

Kate Roughley, of Heaton Norris, Stockport, was found unanimously guilty of manslaughter

Katie Meehan, Genevieve's mother, cries while her husband makes a statement outside Manchester Crown Court today

Mr Meehan, stood with his tearful solicitor wife Katie, paid tribute to their daughter who 'loved life, to play the tambourine, spend time with her big sister', and was 'kind, infectious and mischievous'.

'We loved every day watching her develop. We'll never accept the cruelty of her life being taken away,' he said. 'Her life was full of promise and wonder, and it was taken.

'Genevieve's loss has destroyed our family and we grieve for her every day. We're desperate to see her smile, see her laugh and feel her warm embrace.'

Mr Meehan said he and his wife do not want to see her defined by the manner of Genevieve's death and that 'our beautiful daughter deserves to be remembered for the wonderful person she was.'

During a month-long trial, jurors heard Roughley displayed a 'lack of sympathy' towards children – labelling Genevieve 'vile', a 'whinger' and a 'diva'.

CCTV even showed her ignoring the youngster's crying and desperate last movements as she struggled to survive while tightly strapped to the bean bag, swaddled in a blanket.

Genevieve Meehan was also tightly swaddled and covered with a blanket, the court heard

Genevieve was left 'virtually immobilised' from 1.35pm to 3.12pm, CCTV footage revealed

The defendant's case was that Genevieve's death was a 'terrible and unavoidable accident' 

Roughley, who had 17 years' experience as a nursery worker but no children of her own, then 'lied' to cover up what she'd done, claiming she constantly checked on babies in her care. 

The prosecution said Roughley's 'deliberate conduct', 'ill-treatment' and 'lack of any effective monitoring' causing Genevieve's death.

Roughley showed no emotion and stared straight ahead as jurors at Manchester Crown Court returned their verdicts after over five hours' deliberations.

Mrs Justice Ellenbogan adjourned sentencing until Wednesday and remanded Roughley, whose parents were at the back of court, in custody until then.

Mrs Meehan and other family members emotionally hugged outside court and thanked the prosecution.

Manchester Crown Court heard Genevieve suffered fatal asphyxia and pathophysiological stress caused by the 'unsafe sleep environment' at Tiny Toes nursery in Cheadle Hulme, Stockport, on May 9, 2022.

During the trial, Peter Wright KC, prosecuting, told the jury: 'Her death was not the result of some terrible or unavoidable accident.

John Meehan reads a statement to the media outside Manchester Crown Court this afternoon

'We say her death arose from ill-treatment she suffered at the hands of this defendant.'

On the day of tragedy, deputy manager Roughley was acting as leader in the nursery's understaffed baby room where she was one of only two workers looking after 11 babies.

Genevieve had been dropped off by her parents, barrister John Meehan and solicitor Katie Wheeler at 9am and was found unresponsive at 3.12pm. She could not be revived was later pronounced dead in hospital.

Mr Wright said the reason for the baby's condition wasn't immediately apparent but became clear from CCTV footage.

He said Genevieve had been put to sleep by Roughley that afternoon, who had swaddled in her in a blanket so tightly she was unable to move.

The child had also been placed not on her back, according to safe sleep policies, but on her front and face down, strapped to a bean using a harness.

Nursery nurse Kate Roughley arrives at Manchester Crown Court today ahead of the verdict

Kate Roughley's father Stuart and mother Jane leave Manchester Crown Court today 

A blanket was also placed over her that practically covered her head to toe, with the 'inevitable consequence' it would make observations more difficult and increase the risk of overheating.

He said Genevieve was visibly 'distressed by this treatment' yet her thrashing and cries were ignored and she was left from around 1.35pm until she was discovered unresponsive - an hour and 37 minutes later.

Mr Wright said: 'The risk to her of asphyxiation and death was, we say, both serious and obvious.

'Yet the defendant ignored it and by the time she checked on Genevieve with anything vaguely representing any genuine interest it was too late.'

The jury heard how the baby had been enrolled at the nursery just a few weeks earlier in April after she 'thrived' despite being born premature at 35 weeks.

Genevieve had been treated in hospital for bronchiolitis - common in young infants - and was using an inhaler but expert witnesses said the condition was not a factor in her death.

Kate Roughley (left) arrives at Manchester Crown Court last Friday with her parents

Roughley was working at Tiny Toes nursery in Cheadle Hulme, Stockport (file picture)

Mr Wright said that in the days running up the tragedy Roughley had displayed a 'lack of affection' towards Genevieve that was 'not merely visible, but tangible'.

On the day of Genevieve's death, Roughley had used the bean bag as a 'form of restraint', Mr Wright said, ignoring safety advice never to place babies face down.

Under cross-examination during the trial, Roughley insisted: 'I would never not like a nine-month-old baby. To say I disliked her is far from the truth.'

Asked if she thought that Genevieve's death was avoidable, she said: 'I feel that if I had checked on her a couple of seconds or minutes earlier it may have been different.

'It was a common practice for children to sleep in the bean bag bed.

'I feel responsible in the fact that Genevieve was in my care that day. However, I don't feel my actions were the reason for the death.'

She denied that calling Genevieve a 'whinger' and 'a diva' was 'malicious'.

Roughley said: 'Often we would say to children 'stop whingeing' This was not shouted at the children or said in any malicious way. They were just passing comments through the working day.'

Sarah Elliot KC, defending, told the jury Roughley looked after children in a 'practical, responsible, no-nonsense but caring way'.

She said the defendant denied failing to make safe-sleep arrangements and had 'kept an appropriate eye' on Genevieve.