A woman in her 30s has been arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter and child neglect following the death of seven-year-old Nyla May Bradshaw, who was found unresponsive in a pond at Owston Hall Hotel in Doncaster on March 30. She has since been bailed pending further inquiries, South Yorkshire Police announced on April 17.
The case has drawn significant attention due to the circumstances surrounding Nyla’s disappearance and subsequent discovery. The police initially believed the situation to be non-suspicious but said that ongoing inquiries led them to make the arrest.
Detective Chief Inspector Gary Magnay said: “The heartbreaking loss of Nyla May has had a huge emotional impact – not just on her family, friends and loved ones, but on the wider community. Nyla May’s family continues to be in the forefront of our thoughts as our work progresses, and we will continue to support them throughout this awful time.” Magnay also urged members of the public not to speculate about the case or publish anything that could affect future court proceedings: “The proceedings in this case are now active, which means nothing must be published by anyone, including members of the public, which could threaten the integrity of any future court proceedings.”
An earlier inquest at Doncaster Coroner’s Court revealed that Nyla was non-verbal and autistic and had been under a childminder’s care when she passed through a hole in a fence towards nearby woodland before being reported missing. Extensive searches were conducted using drones and police aircraft before she was found face down in water.
Family friend Charlotte Cooper paid tribute to Nyla saying: “Nyla was the sweetest girl I ever got the privilege to hold and take care of… She was just magical, never sad, always in Nyla’s world.” A fundraiser established for her memory has raised over £20,000 so far.
Authorities have emphasized their commitment to supporting those affected as investigations continue.
