Nursery is investigated for second time after death of girl

A baby girl died - possibly after choking on a piece of apple - at a nursery where staff were once accused of child cruelty.

Police said that a 10-month-old baby girl had died at the nursery on Wednesday, possibly after choking on her food. An ambulance had been called to the nursery at 9.45am.

It is the second time the Just Learning nursery in Cambourne, Cambridgeshire, has faced an investigation into its standards in the past two years. The nursery has been closed while police and the education watchdog Ofsted investigate.

A 15-month-old girl suffered a broken arm in September 2004 and an investigation was started, but charges of cruelty against three members of staff were later dropped after the Crown Prosecution Service decided there was insufficient evidence.

A Cambridgeshire Police spokeswoman said yesterday: "Initial inquiries point to the possibility that she may have choked on a piece of food, possibly an apple." She said the baby's name would not be released until a post-mortem examination had been completed.

A Just Learning spokesman said: "We deeply regret this tragedy and all our thoughts are with the child's parents."

The nursery confirmed that all three women who had been accused of cruelty had been reinstated at the nursery after the charges were dropped last March. It added: "The events of last year have no bearing whatsoever on what has happened.''

An Ofsted spokeswoman said: "The nursery is currently suspended pending an investigation by the police and ourselves."