Infant’s mother sobs while testifying at manslaughter trial

The trial continues for Meggin Van Hoof, accused of manslaughter in the death of a toddler while he was at her daycare. CTV London’s Nick Paparella reports.

The heartache of a mother who has lost a child was apparent as Rose-Anne Van De Wiele testified about the final hours of her young son’s life.

It was in October 2015 that the limp body of 15-month-old Nathaniel McLellan was given over to her after a day at the babysitter’s house.

At the time Meggin Van Hoof, 46, was operating an unlicensed daycare out of her home in Strathroy.

Van De Wiele testified that when she went to get her son from Van Hoof, he was unresponsive saying, “She (Van Hoof) kept saying she was sorry.”

The mother rushed her toddler to hospital in Strathroy and through tears she went on to say, “His eyes were closed, he was lifeless, I thought he was dead, and I screamed.”

Van De Wiele was frantic as she asked hospital staff, “Please help my baby, please help my baby.”

While at the hospital she said, “I was asked if there was anything that could have caused these injuries and I was not aware of anything.”

Then later because of an apparent injury to the child’s head, she said, “I was present when my husband asked the nurses to call the police.”

Officers would end up interviewing many of those involved in the case and six years later in 2021, Van Hoof would be charged with manslaughter and has pleaded not guilty.

Later in the afternoon, under cross-examination from defence lawyer Geoff Snow, she was asked about any recordings she may have made when being interviewed by police and other associated professionals in the months and years after the death.

She said for a while police were looking into her and her husband saying, “I didn’t trust the police, they considered us suspects until charges were laid.”

“I’ve been living with the death of my child for a very long time...I’m still working towards justice for my son... I want to know what happened,” she told Snow.

The trial which got underway on Monday is expected to last more than four weeks.