Nanny's $200 fine too little - father

Rachel Simons. Photo / Doug Sherring.

The nanny who left a 4-month-old baby alone has been given a $200 fine, disappointing the infant's father who says it's little more than a speeding ticket.

Rachel Simons, 31, pleaded guilty this week to one charge of leaving a child unsupervised.

The mother-of-two was employed as professional caregiver by Porse.

She left the child for more than two hours while she took her daughter to the doctor.

The 4-month-old was only alone for about 15 minutes because his father, Andrew Gous, came home to drop off nappies for the child.

Simons was convicted and fined $200 at the Waitakere District Court.

She refused to comment yesterday, saying only: "I don't want to say any more about it."

Mr Gous was surprised to hear what the penalty was.

"Disappointed is one word. We see it as a speeding fine ... but it doesn't carry any weight for this sort of thing."

He didn't believe the punishment would act as a deterrent to others. "What's the purpose of it? Is it not to deter others from doing it. Shouldn't that be at least one outcome of it."

They hadn't heard from Simons since the incident, but they had a gift for her daughter that was bought before the incident.

"We have the gift here. My wife really trusted her before this event but we still want to give it to [her daughter]."

Mr Gous said the event had shaken the family. "Childcare is extremely important and this makes it so much harder."

Because of the ordeal he is setting up a website, www.childcareadvisor.co.nz, where people could rate or review childcare, daycare, nannies, au pairs, pre-school centres, and afterschool care.

He hoped the move would go some way toward creating some caregiver accountability.

Mr Gous said he was amazed how many people had similar experiences. "It's ridiculous, there's something seriously wrong somewhere."

Simons was remorseful and had an explanation for leaving the child. She told the Herald on Sunday last week she had a lot on her mind but was sorry for what happened.

"My partner had just told me that he was thinking of taking a new job which would have meant us moving away. I also think I just stretched myself too thin the last couple of months."

She said she had organised someone to care for the baby.

"But I think there was a miscommunication and a nightmare series of events that just spiralled out of control."