By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2025-04-01 21:01:23 | Updated at 2025-04-05 02:08:21
3 days ago
The parents of a baby girl have spoken out about the 'worst two weeks of their lives' after they were quizzed by social services and suspected of child neglect when their daughter suffered a mystery head injury at nursery school.
Seven-month-old Violet Williams underwent a CT scan, two full body X-rays, five blood tests and spent two nights in hospital after suffering extensive bruising soon after being dropped off at Squirrel's Day Nursery, in Bispham, near Blackpool.
Her parents, Charlotte Harrop, 30, and Josh Williams, 31, who also have an older son, feared their children would be taken into care after they were interviewed by social workers because bosses at the nursery could not explain how Violet's injury occurred.
The couple were eventually exonerated after a two week inquiry when a doctor concluded that the bruising probably took place in an accident at the nursery and not at home.
Today Ms Harrop said the ordeal was 'horrendous' and is now campaigning for mandatory CCTV to be installed in childcare premises.
'It been horrendous, the worst two weeks of our lives,' she said. 'I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.
'We could have lost our daughter over this. I am glad we've been exonerated but it is unacceptable that we still have no answers about what happened to Violet.
'I knew when I dropped her off at nursery she had no bruising and was her normal happy self.
Seven-month-old Violet Williams (pictured) spent two nights in hospital after suffering extensive bruising soon after being dropped off at nursery
Charlotte Harrop, 30, and Josh Williams, 31, (pictured with their two children Violet and Toby,7) were quizzed by social services and suspected of child neglect
Violet Williams underwent a CT scan, two full body X-rays, five blood tests after she suffered the bruising
'The nursery has been unable to tell us how she was injured. She could have been killed. I put my trust in them to look after my baby and this happened in their care.
'I believe whatever took place was an accident, but they are too scared to admit that someone turned their back because of the severity of Violet's injuries.
'If there had been CCTV present, we may have got more answers, that's why I'm going to campaign for it to be in every nursery in the country.'
Ms Harrop, a debt recovery specialist, said she had lodged a formal complaint with Ofsted and contacted her MP, Labour's Chris Webb, to raise concerns.
The mother-of-two dropped Violet off at nursery as usual just before 8am on March 12, so was surprised when a manager called her at work around 90 minutes later to ask her to come back and look at a bruise on Violet's forehead.
Ms Harrop said the manager was 'blasé' on the phone but as soon as she arrived her 'tone' was markedly different.
'She said, 'Please don't get upset, but it's bad,' Ms Harrop added.
'You can see the extent of the bruising from pictures I took and Violet was upset and crying when I went lifted up her hair to have a look.
'I was also upset because the staff couldn't explain how it had happened.'
Ms Harrop was so worried she drove straight to Blackpool Victoria Hospital to have her daughter checked over.
The mother-of-two dropped Violet off at nursery as usual just before 8am on March 12 but was asked to pick her up 90 minutes later
Doctors told Ms Harrop that Violet's injury was too severe to have been caused by another child
But that is when the couple's ordeal began.
After calling 111, Ms Harrop took her daughter to Blackpool Victoria Hospital to be checked out.
Doctors there told her Violet needed a CT scan, which involved her being put to sleep, to make sure she had no fractures to her skull or bleeding on the brain. She also underwent extensive tests and spent two nights in hospital to rule out other illnesses associated with severe bruising.
Doctors told Ms Harrop that the injury was too severe to have been caused by another child and, because it was unexplained, social workers from the local council were contacted and instigated a child protection investigation, which placed she and Mr Williams under suspicion of child neglect.
Both of them, plus their seven-year-old son, Toby, and staff at the nursery were interviewed for the safeguarding inquiry, which took a fortnight to complete.
'It was so distressing,' Ms Harrop added. 'Josh and I were on edge for the whole 15 days it took to get to the bottom of it.
'Because the nursery couldn't explain how or why it happened the social worker told us they had to rely on a probability outcome from the doctors. I just broke down when they told me that. I was so worried that my son and daughter would be taken away from us.'
Thankfully, doctors ruled that, because Ms Harrop and the nursery agreed Violet did not arrive with a bruise, on the balance of probabilities, the injury did not happen at home.
A letter from a doctor at the hospital states: 'it is not possible to time the bruises but abence of any mark on arrival to nursery makes it unlikely to have occurred at home, although I cannot rule it out completely.'
Ms Harrop said the ordeal was 'horrendous' and is now campaigning for mandatory CCTV to be installed in childcare premises (Pictured: Her daughter Violet)
A spokesman for Squirrel's Day Nursery said they were having CCTV installed as a result of what happened to Violet (pictured) but declined to comment further
Ms Harrop said the nursery is now considering installing CCTV but she said: 'It's too little too late.'
She described the ordeal of being interviewed by social workers as 'very invasive' and said she and her engineer partner have since moved Violet to a different nursery
'We are just a normal family who love their kids, who go to work and try to get by in life,' Ms Harrop added.
'We shielded Toby from everything that was going on when Violet was in hospital, he went to his grandmas for a sleep over, and I understand why the social workers had to interview him to see how we live, but he is only seven and shouldn't have had to go through all this.
'It has been so stressful and affected our whole family. I haven't been able to work because I have had to stay at home and look after Violet so it has placed a financial strain on us as well.
'We've been lucky enough to find another nursery for Violet but I will never trust people fully or relax properly again. No parent should have to go through what we have.
'That's why, in order to get justice for Violet, I want to campaign for CCTV in nurseries. As a bare minimum people should know what happens to their children.'
A spokesman for Squirrel's Day Nursery said they were having CCTV installed as a result of what happened to Violet but declined to comment further.
A spokesman for Blackpool Council said they were unable to comment on individual cases.
However, he added: 'As a local authority we have a duty to investigate such matters and at all times we aim to work with families to ensure that there is a proportionate response to any concerns raised.'
