ff
observed [the daycare operator] yelling and screaming and attempting
to resuscitate Mac Saini in a perfunctory way."
The
lawsuit against the daycare operator and the owners of the home
where the facility was run — alleges negligence.
It
also makes a charter claim against the Vancouver Coastal Health
Authority and the Ministry of Children and Family Development,
alleging the organizations failed in their duty to protect him.
None
of the allegations have been proven in court. A statement
of defence has not yet been filed by any of the respondents.
VCHA
records show the facility's operator, Yasmine Saad, had three
previous regulation violations related to caring for too many kids.
Under
B.C.'s Community Care and Assisted Living Act, unlicensed childcare
operators may only care for two kids at a time and can be fined up to
$10,000 a day for violations. Several warnings were issued to the
operator over the years, but no enforcement was taken, nor were
any fines levied.
According
to the documents, when Sheppard arrived the day of her son's death
"she saw the daycare was overcrowded with children and that the
[operator] had hidden one child behind a couch and other children
were strapped to chairs."
The
coroner is still investigating but in the documents Sheppard says she
"understands that Mac Saini had been left unattended and had
choked on an electrical cord causing his death."
"Since
Mac's death last year, we have been trying to find a way to live with
this nightmare while struggling to accept that he isn't coming back,"
Sheppard told the CBC.
Violation of Baby Mac's Charter of Rights
The
lawsuit claims Baby Mac's charter rights to life and security were
violated. It says the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority and The
Ministry of Children and Family Development failed to protect him.
The
documents allege Baby Mac's death could have been prevented had the
health authority and the ministry followed reasonable policies and
procedures to monitor unlicensed daycare facilities when complaints
were made.
"If
the court concludes damages are a just and appropriate remedy, then
to my knowledge this would be the first case where a court would
consider quantifying the death of a Canadian citizen because of an
alleged charter breach," said the family's lawyer John Rice.
Both
the health authority and the ministry say they cannot comment on the
case as it is before the courts. Each sends condolences to the
family.
"We still wake up looking for him."
Baby
Mac's parents have struggled to come to terms with their son's death.
"We
still wake up looking for him and even continue to make plans for our
family ... before we remember that he is gone," said Sheppard.
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