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Cartas Rogatorias Vol V
Pages 20 to 21
Leicestershire Police Force
Statement by Sharon LEWIN
Occupation: Teaching Assistant
This statement (2 pages) is truthful in accordance with my
understanding.
Date: 21st April 2008
I am the person referred to above and I work as a teaching
assistant at Laurels Nursery School, Melton Road,
Queniborough, Leicestershire. The nursery school has the
capacity to receive about 80 children full-time, aged
between 6 weeks and 5 years and is open from 07.30 to 18.00
daily. The children are grouped according to age and I work
in the section that looks after children aged between two
and half and three years old. I have worked at the nursery
for five years and I am currently on maternity leave.
I got to know Madeleine and her parents Kate and Gerry
through my work at the nursery school. Madeleine started at
the nursery when she was about two years old.
When she was two and a half she joined the group supervised
by me, I think it was in 2006, and she remained there for
about 6 months. Madeleine attended on Tuesdays, Wednesdays
and Thursdays.
She would be dropped off between 08.00 and 08.30 and would
return home at about 17.00. The dropping off and picking up
was taken in turns by the parents and as a result of this
Kate and Gerry asked me to take care of the children during
the evening on some occasions. Kate would pick Madeleine up
from the nursery at the end of the day and I would accompany
them to their house. We would have tea and I would help give
Madeleine her bath.
Kate and Gerry would go out and I would watch a DVD with the
girl before telling her a bedtime story.
I think I did this about 5 times and on each occasion it was
at their home in Rothley.
I always think of Madeleine as an alert and affectionate
girl who liked to live. She was very advanced for her age
and independent. She liked to dance and to dress up.
Kate and Gerry were always very friendly to me. I am quite
close to both of them and they were always kind and
generous. I am probably a bit closer to Kate who would
sometimes send me text messages and I would take my baby
along to visit her and have coffee.
I consider her to be a good friend.
I never saw Madeleine have any problem or conflict with her
parents, family members or friends.
I would describe them as a charming family who loved each
other. The twins adored their older sister and Kate and
Gerry would often play with the children.
Madeleine felt comfortable at the nursery school, she had
many friends and got on well with the other children.
Madeleine was quite a healthy girl. She had a good appetite
and ate well. I don't remember any injury or accident. She
would occasionally have a small scrape at the nursery but
nothing abnormal. During the six months she was under my
care she was absent five times because of being unwell, but
they were just small colds with a high temperature.
At the nursery medication could only be administered by the
senior members of staff and with the agreement of the
children's parents. The only medication that I recall
Madeleine taking was Calpol to lower her temperature.
Madeleine never complained about her family or friends and
as I have already stated I consider them to be a charming
family. She loved her mother and father and always knew who
would pick her up from the nursery ad was always anxious for
that moment. Gerry and Kate never appeared to have any
problems in dealing with Madeleine. We would have regular
meetings with the parents at the nursery and they never
expressed any worry in relation to Madeleine's behaviour.
Madeleine was a very active child but I would not call her
hyperactive. She never got over excited and always had good
behaviour. Madeleine was easy to look after, a very
independent girl but she never placed herself in dangerous
situations, as far as I saw.
Occasionally during the afternoon, some of the children
would have a siesta in the dormitory but Madeleine never
did. I had the opportunity to be present at her bedtime when
I looked after her. Bath time was at about 18.30 - 19.00 and
she would later go to bed at about 19.30 – 20.00 I would
read her a story or two and she would always fall asleep
half way through.
Gerry and Kate would normally return home at about 22.30 and
before this I would check whether she was all right, by
looking around the bedroom door. I do not have knowledge of
the girl waking up after she fell asleep.
This statement was made by me and is truthful in accordance
with my understanding.
