Baby dies in unlicensed day care in Markham
Posted November 15, 2013 2:36 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
York region homicide detectives are investigating the death of a nine-month-old girl in an unlicensed day care in Markham, police confirmed on Friday.
Officers said around 5 p.m. Wednesday, they were called to a home on The Meadows Avenue, near Highway 7 East and Ninth Line. There they found the baby, who had stopped breathing.
She was taken to a hospital, but couldn’t be revived.
An autopsy done on Thursday did not find the cause of death.
Ontario’s chief coroner is leading the investigation with the help of the homicide unit, which probes the death of any child under the age of five.
“[This] is another sad reminder of why the province needs to do more to ensure our children’s safety in home-based daycares in Ontario,” said NDP Children and Youth Critic Monique Taylor.
“Months ago, New Democrats contacted the Ombudsman and he launched an investigation into how the government is handling complaints and investigations of unregulated daycares. I look forward to hearing his recommendations on how to improve safety conditions in home-based daycares so that parents can be confident that their children are always in safe hands.”
In July, a two-year-old named Eva Ravikovich died in a home daycare near Highway 407 and Dufferin Street in Vaughan.
Her parents are suing the daycare owners and the province’s Ministry of Education for $3.5 million, alleging an unsafe environment and inadequate inspections.
