Horrified parents caught QA Hospital nurse on CCTV having sex in dead daughter's play room

Melissa Dye has been sanctioned by the Nursing and Midwifery Council after accepting she betrayed the child’s foster parents’ trust.

A misconduct panel heard Dye was involved in caring for Child A, who died unexpectedly on April 29, 2015.

Dye was a community nurse for the Chestnut Tree House Children’s Hospice until she became a neonatal nurse at Queen Alexandra Hospital, in Cosham, on April 17 last year.

She had met the family while at the hospice and after their child’s death Dye offered to house sit while they went on holiday after the funeral.

Panel chair Monica French said: ‘After Child A’s death, Mr and Mrs A constructed a form of memorial in Child A’s sensory room; laying out her clothes and the last toys she played with on the soft play area.

‘They found it comforting to sit in the room and cuddle these items upon which they were still able to smell their second daughter’s scent.’

Dye was involved with the family when the sensory room was planned, played with the girl and was her respite nurse.

Mrs French added: ‘On June 16, 2015, whilst on holiday, Mr and Mrs A were contacted by a neighbour who was concerned having seen an unknown man at the family home. Mrs A sent you a text message about this and logged into the home’s CCTV.

‘Mrs A accessed the CCTV in Child A’s sensory room on two occasions within about 10 minutes, and on both occasions, saw you and a man naked having sexual intercourse on Child A’s soft play area.’

Dye immediately text the mother saying: ‘I’m so sorry to have broken your trust.’

The family’s natural daughter had previously died and the family was ‘vulnerable’, the panel heard. Mrs French said the charge relating to the sex – of failing to maintain professional boundaries – was found against Dye, who had denied it.

She is now subject to a condition of practice order for a year. That means anyone looking at her registration will see the order against her.

The panel heard Dye had been a nurse for 13 years with an ‘unblemished career’.

In mitigation the panel heard Dye was of previous good character, has worked without issue since, was initially motivated by desire to help the parents, was going through an emotionally difficult time, the incident was not pre-planned and she showed immediate genuine remorse.