Investigating officer told toddler collapsed at home of former babysitter charged with manslaughter

After a weeks-long delay testimony has resumed in the trial of a woman charged in the death of 15-month-old Nathaniel McClellan. Nick Paparella reports.

After a delay of several weeks the manslaughter trial looking into the death of 15-month-old Nathaniel McLellan resumed Monday at London’s courthouse.

Shortly after the toddler was rushed to hospital with a serious head injury in October 2015, Strathroy-Caradoc Det. Const. Chris Haskett was the first to go to the home of the accused Meggin van Hoof.

“I was told that the belief was that Nathaniel had fallen down some stairs,” he told the court.

He went on to say, “I was there to talk to Meggin about the injured child.”

“I remember her telling me that he didn’t fall downstairs but that he collapsed on a landing in the garage,” Haskett said.

Days later the toddler would die in hospital. However, it would take several years for officers to eventually charge the 46-year-old former Strathroy babysitter with manslaughter.

Van Hoof has pled not guilty.

Up to now the trial has dealt with several delays and is expected to continue into the spring.