Nathaniel McLellan is seen in this undated family photo. (Source: The Nathaniel Wayne McLellan Memorial Page / Facebook)
Nearly 10 years after 15-month-old Nathaniel McLellan died from a head injury, his parents are finally seeing the case reach trial.
The boy’s babysitter, Meggin Van Hoof from Strathroy, has pleaded not guilty to manslaughter in connection with his 2015 death.
Nathaniel was dropped off at Van Hoof’s unlicensed home daycare on Oct. 27, 2015. Later that morning, his mother, teacher Rose-Anne Van De Wiele, was called to pick him up when he appeared unusually drowsy and was unable to hold his head up. He was rushed to the hospital with a severe brain injury and died five days later. An autopsy determined the cause of death was blunt force trauma.
The case, which underwent years of investigations, lawsuits and media attention, is now before Superior Court Justice Michael Carnegie in a judge-alone trial. Van De Wiele began testifying on Thursday.
The case is expected to last four weeks.
