Daisy-Ray Anderson was in the bath with her 18 month-old sister Lilly when the tragedy happened
Tragic: A toddler drowned after she was left alone in the bath
A nine month-old girl drowned after being left briefly unattended in the bath by her father, an inquest heard.
Daisy-Ray Anderson was found face-down in the water when her dad Dale Anderson went to fetch towels and nappies.
The tot was in the bath with her 18 month-old sister Lilly - just
metres away from where 12 cannabis plants were being cultivated.
A coroner heard that Mr. Anderson and his fiancee Emma were charged
with child cruelty after the tragic death but cleared by a jury.
The couple admitted cannabis growing offences and he received a community order while she was conditionally discharged.
Manchester Coroners Court heard how Daisy-Ray drowned on September
24, 2012 after she was put in the bath with her sister by their mum
before their dad took over.
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Tragic Tot: Daisy-Ray Anderson drowned after being left briefly unattended in the bath by her father
When they were ready to get out he called to Emma to bring up towels
and nappies and after getting no response went to fetch them himself.
The market trader told the coroner: "I came back up and that's when I saw Daisy. She was face down in the water.
"I pulled her out and starting doing CPR on the floor. I was
screaming and shouting for help. I got water and vomit out of her mouth
but she wasn't breathing."
Mr Anderson told the inquest that Daisy was in a baby bath towards
the top of the main bath near to the taps, while her sister Lilly was in
the main bath.
He said he believed Emma to be in the house in Moston, Gtr Manchester
but after hearing nothing from her, he went downstairs to find the
front door wide open.
"Emma wasn't there", he said. "I slammed the door shut and got what I needed and went back upstairs.
"I didn't know Emma was going to leave the house. Then I heard the door go so I ran downstairs and opened the door.
"She looked at me and I was as white as a ghost. She just ran
upstairs and picked Daisy up. She started screaming and panicking."
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Drowning Death: Daisy-Ray Anderson was just nine months old when she died
The inquest heard that paramedics took Daisy to North Manchester General Hospital where she was later pronounced dead.
Emma Oliver, a trainee plasterer, told the coroner she had put Daisy in the bath around 10am because the tot had been sick.
She said: "Lilly came up and said she wanted a bath too so I filled it up for her.
"I wasn't the one who played with the kids in the bath. I washed Daisy first and then got out the toys and then Dale came in.
"I nipped out for five minutes and went to see my neighbour. Lilly
was 18-months-old and we were talking about getting her name on the list
for school.
"I didn't tell Dale I was going out and it was usual for him to play
with the kids in the bath. I went over to my neighbour's still in my
pyjamas so I went home to get dressed.
"I came back home and realised my door was shut. Dale came down and he was as white as a sheet. I just ran upstairs."
Save Memories: A coroner at Manchester Coroner's Court told the family to "hold onto their memories" of Daisy-Ray
Consultant paediatric pathologist Gauri Batra said a post-mortem on Daisy-Ray confirmed a cause of death as drowning.
She said: "This was a clean, well-nourished little girl and there was nothing congenitally wrong with her."
Recording a verdict of accidental death, assistant coroner for
Manchester City Jean Harkin said: "It's very clear that it's very
dangerous to leave children for just one minute but no parent would have
expected this to happen.
"All I can say to you is that you have to hold on to the memories that you have from when Daisy was alive."
Tragic: A toddler drowned after she was left alone in the bath 
