TORONTO – Details of poor sanitation are emerging from an unlicensed Ontario home daycare where a two-year-old girl died in July.
A report by the Toronto Star indicates that public health inspectors found listeria bacteria in chicken stew, cooked grains and deli meats at the unregulated location.
An inspection report obtained under a Freedom of Information request by the newspaper also says inspectors found a bevy of sanitation concerns such as rotting food in the refrigerator, garbage with dirty diapers in the kitchen and evidence of improper hand washing.
Eva Ravikovich was found dead at the daycare on Yellowood Circle in Vaughan on July 8. The exact cause of death is still being investigated by the coroner’s office.
The parents of Eva have since launched a civil suit against the province and daycare operator for $3.5 million in punitive damages due to negligence.
The family’s lawyer, Patrick Brown, said preliminary information obtained from the investigation suggests the child’s death was “100 per cent preventable.”
Watch: (Aug. 9) Ekaterina Evtropva, the mother of Eva Ravikovich, and lawyer Patrick Brown appear on The Morning Show.
A statement of claim alleges the daycare owners were negligent by failing to provide adequate care, supervision and the staff was not properly trained.
The lawsuit further alleges the Ontario Ministry of Education was negligent by failing to properly inspect, investigate and regulate the daycare.
The civil suit states there were 27 children in the Vaughan home daycare at the time of Eva’s death.
In the past, the daycare was temporarily shut down for several health and safety infractions.
Education officials have admitted that they failed to follow up on two of three complaints lodged against the daycare.
Ontario’s ombudsman said last month he’ll investigate whether the government is doing enough to protect children in unlicensed daycares.
A fundraising campaign has been set up for the family.
-With a file from The Canadian Press
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