Childminder admits to 'neglecting' baby after shocked parent's discovery (2025)

The baby was left alone and restrained in a car seat with a dog in the house.

A registered childminder who neglected infants in her care said she would "hold up her hands and admit it" after police arrested her, a court was told.

Andrea Ward, 63, left a "crying infant" in a car seat at her home in Bury, Greater Manchester. Despite being "highly recommended" to the baby's parents, she left her for 25 minutes while she went out with other children.

However, she was seen doing so by one of the child's parents who was left "shocked" upon learning where her child was, the Mirror reports.

Prosecutor Lisa Boocock told Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court that Ward was seen with two children in a buggy and another walking. The mum asked her where her child was, and was told she was at home with Ward's daughter.

The mum did not know the daughter, and had not agreed that she could look after her child. She insisted they return to Ward's home, but the daughter was in the shower.

Ward admitted she had left the baby unattended, but claimed it was only for five minutes. She said children "slipping around" had caused difficulties. When the police were called, she told officers: "I'm going to hold my hands up and admit it."

She admitted to a "stupid error". While being interviewed, she said there may also have been another instance of her leaving the infant alone the previous week. Further investigation found she had left her for about 25 minutes, not five, and had neglected two other babies in a similar way.

The mother of the child told the court that her baby was "completely and utterly reliant" on the childminder. She said there was "nothing more precious than a child" and her infant "would have been aware" she was on her own, with "no-one answering her cries".

She added that her baby had been exposed to "unimaginable risk", restrained in the car seat while a dog was in the house, which made her feel "physically sick".

Ward is also said to have "repeatedly lied" about her behaviour, and the neglect happened more than once. The mum said her daughter has been left traumatised, and cries every time she tries to put her in her car seat.

The mother of another baby Ward neglected, who was around 15 months old at the time, said: "She promised us she would never make him feel abandoned, yet she did exactly that." The mother of a third neglected baby, aged eight months at the time, said she "felt betrayed as I genuinely trusted her".

She became suspicious when she saw Ward out with other children, but not her son. She said Ward had "selfishly put money before children".

She initially accepted her claim it was a "genuine one-off mistake" but now believes it was deliberate, which she said "breaks her heart", describing Ward's actions and lies as "disgusting".

Daniel Caulder, defending, said: "Nothing I say is intended to minimise nor to excuse and certainly not to justify the shameful criminal behaviour of Andrea Ward." The solicitor said his client had used the word 'shameful' when writing to the judge.

He added: "She feels ashamed of what she's done and ashamed of a gross betrayal of trust she's perpetrated not only against the parents who trusted their child into her care but a betrayal of children who cannot speak for themselves."

Mr Caulder said his client had apologised to the affected parents, but was not expecting them to accept her apology. He added that she now worked "in customer services" and intends to never return to childminding.

Judge Jason MacAdam told Ward the parents were "right to feel betrayed", adding: "Most of us in this room of a certain age have had children and we all know the difficulties of having young children and balancing work and life."

He said she had "put convenience and prioritised your own needs above the welfare of the children you care for", and "downplayed" her actions to the parents.

Ward pleaded guilty to three charges of child neglect, and was sentenced to 12 months in prison, suspended for 24 months. She was also ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work and pay £150 towards prosecution costs.