Just His Second Day at Mucky Pups Day Nursery
An investigation has been launched after a toddler had his ear “ripped off and eaten” at nursery. 2-year-old Daniyaal Abubaker has been left “traumatised” after suffering the injury at just his second day at Mucky Pups Day Nursery in Garrets Green, Birmingham.
Daniyaal’s mother, Afsha Abubaker, 26, was called by nursery owner Paula Tidmus to say “her son had injured his ear in a fall and that he might require stitches.” However, after feeling uneasy about the situation, it was Daniyaal’s aunty Madiha Hamid who called the nursery to ask what had actually happened; who was then told that the toddler had been punched. Another family member, Arooj Arooj who had picked Daniyaal from the nursery had been told by Mrs Tidmus that he had been “bitten”.
Daniyaal ended up having ten stitches to his right ear and stayed two nights in Birmingham Children’s Hospital following the incident, which took place on September 25.
The worried mother was left shocked after hearing different versions of the incident. “I contacted police as I have heard different versions of events and don’t know exactly what happened to my son that day. We still don’t know what happened to our son to this day, but to see your son in terrible pain with part of his ear missing was just horrific. When I spoke to Paula again, and asked her what had happened to the piece of ear, she said the child must have swallowed it. I couldn’t stop crying. Daniyaal has been left traumatised. Sometimes when I move close to his face to kiss him he gets upset, he doesn’t like anyone to go close to his ear. He has been scarred mentally, not just physically.”
West Midlands Police opened an investigation after the family reported the horrific incident. A statement from West Midlands Police stated, “Specialist officers from West Midlands Police Public Protection Unit are reviewing an incident in which a young child suffered an injury to his ear. Officers are in the process of contacting the family and relevant agencies, including, Children’s Social Care, as part of an ongoing inquiry.”
A few days after the incident Ofsted investigators visited the nursery and spoke to staff, children and parents. The report resulted in the nursery being graded a rating of 4 – inadequate. The report stated that the nursery “requires significant improvement.” It also said, “The provision is failing to give children an acceptable standard of early years education and is not meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage.” Ofsted set up a follow up inspection within 12 months of the original inspection.
Paula Tidmus told the Birmingham Mail, “I am making no comment as this is in the hands of my solicitors and insurers.”
Parents are the nursery were much more supportive of the nursery and its staff. Parent Sam Gardner, “My Son goes there. I’ve had no problems my son has come on leaps and bounds. This was a genuine accident; people with children know how fast things can happen. People are to quick to judge these days.”
While Victoria Ball said, “My son went to this nursery an my daughter will be going there too, the staff were great an still are, I have never had a problem with the nursery, incidents like this can happen.”
Valerie Edwards added, “My Granddaughter attends there and has never had a problem, on the times I have collected her the staff have always been very good and always cautious, Ofsted don’t know what there talking about, this is her second year there.”
