Tenbury couple jailed following the death of their child

A mother and father have been jailed for a total of eight years and six months for the manslaughter by gross negligence of their thirteen-month-old son, Kian Dale, in Tenbury Wells.

Wayne Dale, aged 44, of Kipling Close, Malvern, Worcestershire, was sentenced to four years and six months in prison today (Monday, 24 April) after being found guilty of manslaughter by gross negligence on 3 April 2017.

Lisa Passey, aged 28, of Kyreside, Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire, was sentenced to four years in prison today (Monday, 24 April) after being found guilty of manslaughter by gross negligence on 3 April 2017.

The jury had heard that at around 5pm on 26 September 2015, at the couple's home in Kyreside, Tenbury Wells, Lisa Passey ran her son an adult-sized bath in a bathroom upstairs, Wayne Dale then put Kian in a supported baby seat, before leaving him unattended and unsupervised for between 10 and 15 minutes whilst the pair socialised with a friend downstairs.

When Wayne Dale went to get Kian out of the bath, he found him underneath the water and unresponsive. Emergency services were called and Kian was transported by air ambulance to Birmingham Children's Hospital, but he tragically died a short time later.

Detective Inspector Justin Taylor from West Mercia Police said: "This has been a tragic case. Kian should have had the opportunity to enjoy his bath time whilst under the care of his mother or father, however both Wayne Dale and Lisa Passey chose to leave him in a bath unsupervised upstairs for a significant period of time while they socialised downstairs. Their neglectful actions meant that Kian lost his life.

"Kian's death is a stark reminder that babies and young children must never be left unattended in a bath. Even a couple of inches of water can be enough for a child to drown. Bath seats do not offer sufficient support and a child can easily slip under the water if not constantly supervised."