Kian Dale parents jailed after unsupervised baby drowned in bath Published duration 24 April 2017

media caption Kian Dale death: Neighbour saw parents smoking as baby drowned

The parents of a baby who drowned after being left in a bath have been jailed.

Wayne Dale and Lisa Passey left 13-month-old Kian Dale in the bath at their Worcestershire home in September 2015 while they entertained a friend.

The child had been left unsupervised for about 15 minutes when Dale found him lifeless in the water.

Dale, 46, and Passey, 28, were convicted of their son's manslaughter by gross negligence and were ordered to spend at least four years in prison.

Dale received a sentence of four-and-a half years in prison and Passey was sentenced to spend four years in jail.

image copyright West Mercia Police/PA Wire image caption Lisa Passey and Wayne Dale lived in Kyreside, Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire at the time of Kian's death

Worcester Crown Court heard during the trial that Passey had left the child in a bath seat at their home in Tenbury Wells along with a two-year-old child.

Both parents were accustomed to leaving him unattended in his bath seat, in spite of the manufacturer's instructions that clearly stated: Warning: Prevent drowning: always keep baby within arms' reach, the court heard.

On that occasion, Passey went downstairs and was with a friend drinking coffee and smoking, while Dale was "socialising" and "using his computer".

She dialled 999, after Kian was found motionless, his head submerged in an overflowing bath.

image copyright West Mercia Police image caption The manufacturer's instruction states the baby should always be kept within arms' reach when using the seat

Following sentencing earlier, Emily Lenham, from West Midlands CPS said: "The death of Kian Dale was tragic and completely avoidable.

"Wayne Dale and Lisa Passey owed their son a duty of care, to protect him from harm, but they failed in that duty and due to their grossly negligent acts both were responsible for his death."