Nyla Bradshaw, a seven-year-old non-verbal girl with autism from Doncaster, went missing on March 30 and was found dead the same day in a nearby golf course pond, less than three hours after being left with a newly hired babysitter. Nyla's EHCP required one-to-one supervision, and friends say the sitter had been warned she might run off. Little Rainbows charity called the case a systemic failure in specialist childcare and has launched a petition urging the government to improve out-of-school support for children with complex needs. Local authorities continue to investigate.
Tragedy in Doncaster: 7-Year-Old Non-Verbal Girl With Autism Found Dead After Being Left With New Babysitter
Nyla May BradshawCredit: Gofundme
A seven-year-old girl with autism was found dead in a golf course pond in Doncaster, England, hours after being left with a babysitter the family had recently hired, local reports say.
Nyla Bradshaw, who was non-verbal and had complex needs documented in an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), disappeared on Monday, March 30. Her parents, Hayley Beardsley and Kieran Bradshaw, say she was discovered in the pond later that same day.
What Happened
According to regional outlets, Nyla had been left with a babysitter the family had found through recommendations in a neighborhood Facebook group. Friends say the sitter came highly recommended and that this was her first time caring for Nyla. Local reports state Nyla was located in the golf course pond fewer than three hours after being left with the sitter.
Concerns About Supervision
Friends and family told reporters the babysitter had been warned weeks earlier that Nyla had a tendency to run off and required close supervision. They say the sitter assured them Nyla would be kept "on reins" when in public. A photograph that circulated in coverage reportedly shows the babysitter walking on a woodland path without reins in hand; outlets describe this as part of the timeline under review.
"She brought so much joy into our lives and into the lives of everyone who knew her," Nyla's parents said in tributes quoted by local media.
Charity And Calls For Change
Little Rainbows Doncaster Children’s Autism Charity confirmed Nyla's EHCP required one-to-one supervision and described the case as highlighting a broader, systemic failure to provide suitable specialist childcare for disabled children. The charity has launched a petition calling on the U.K. government to strengthen and properly fund childcare provision for children with complex needs outside school hours.
The petition has been submitted and is being checked on the government website to determine whether it meets validation criteria. Local authorities and police continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding Nyla’s disappearance and death.
Family Response
Friends say the family is trying to stay strong, though Nyla’s mother is deeply upset and blaming herself for returning to work. The family has received messages of support from the local community and charities urging improvements in regulated specialist childcare and respite services for families with disabled children.
Note: Details in this article are based on local media reports and statements from the family and Little Rainbows charity. Authorities are investigating and have not publicly released a full timeline or formal conclusions about the circumstances of Nyla’s death.
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