Baby choked to death at nursery ‘hours after mother had tried to warn staff about solid food’

A nine-month-old baby boy died after choking at a nursery hours after his mother tried to warn staff he could not eat solid food, an inquest heard.

Oliver Steeper died in hospital in September 2021 after choking on his lunch at the Jelly Beans Day Nursery in Ashford, Kent.

His mother, Zoe Steeper, had tried to remind staff he was not able to eat solid foods on the morning of his death, but did not want to “rock the boat” or come across as “being pushy,” the inquest was told.

Oliver, who only had two front teeth, had been eating pureed meals at home, and his parents were assured by nursery workers that solids could be blended before being fed to him, the hearing at Oakwood House in Maidstone was told.

Mrs Steeper and her husband, Lewis, had chosen to send their son to the Jelly Beans Day Nursery for two half-days a week because it was only 20 minutes from their home, and it “felt like a family run nursery”, the jury inquest heard.

Oliver ‘wasn’t able to chew’

During a trial session at the nursery, Oliver had been offered some pear but “didn’t really know what to do with it” and just “squished it between his fists”.

“The majority of his food at home was purées,” Mrs Steeper said as she gave evidence.

“We assumed that food would be puréed. He wasn’t able to chew, that made us extra cautious.”

Oliver’s parents later became extremely worried when they found “chunks” of pineapple in his vomit, and had planned to remind nursery staff that solid foods were not suitable.

Mrs Steeper said: “He had been given fruit salad at nursery, it was clear it wasn’t puréed. I said I was going to speak to the nursery the following week.”

‘I felt rushed’

Mrs Steeper had considered emailing the nursery immediately, but said she did not want to “rock the boat” or make staff feel she was “being pushy”, jurors were told.

Describing the moment she tried to raise the issue with staff in person while dropping Oliver off the following week, she said: “I felt rushed because I was dropping him off late.

“The lady I gave him to seemed rushed. Another child was holding her leg.”

Later that morning, Mrs Steeper, who was working in a fire brigade control centre at the time, received a call from the nursery to say her son had been “involved in an accident and had choked on his lunch”, the inquest heard.

When she arrived at the nursery, Mrs Steeper saw a young paramedic running with her son in his arms while doing chest compressions, she told the inquest.

Oliver was rushed to hospital, but brain scans revealed he was not going to survive, and he died six days later.

Kent Police investigated the incident, but no further action was taken.

The inquest is expected to last for two weeks.