Grieving parents of baby boy who choked on food at his nursery said they were told by staff it would be pureed for him, inquest hears

The parents of a nine-month-old baby who choked to death at nursery had 'assumed' his food would be blended by staff because he was 'nowhere near being able to chew' properly, an inquest has heard.

Oliver Steeper died in hospital in September 2021 six days after he choked on food at the Jelly Beans Day Nursery in Ashford, Kent.

His mother had tried to remind staff he was not able to eat solid foods on the day he died, but did not want to 'rock the boat', the inquest was told.

The baby boy, 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 inquest was told.

But Oliver's parents become concerned when they found 'chunks' of pineapple in his vomit, and had intended to remind nursery staff that solid foods were not suitable for him, his mother Zoe Steeper told the inquest at Oakwood House in Maidstone.

The jury inquest heard that during a trial session at the nursery with his mother, baby 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 purees,' Mrs Steeper said as she gave evidence.

Mrs Steeper, and Oliver's father Lewis Steeper, were told by the nursery that food could be blended for him, the inquest heard.

'We assumed that food would be pureed,' Mrs Steeper said. 'He wasn't able to chew, that made us extra cautious.'

Mr and Mrs Steeper 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 heard.

When baby Oliver was unwell, and his parents found 'chunks' of pineapple in his vomit, the couple 'wondered how he had managed to eat it'.

Mrs Steeper continued: 'He had been given fruit salad at nursery, it was clear it wasn't pureed.

'I said I was going to speak to the nursery the following week.'

Mrs Steeper had considered emailing the nursery immediately, but 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 chocked 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.

Baby 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.