Over six days of emotional testimony, Rose-Anne Van De Wiele has repeatedly broken down while recounting the final days of her young son’s life.
Her son, Nathaniel McLellan, was just 15 months old when he died in October 2015 from a head injury sustained after being picked up from his babysitter’s home in Strathroy, Ontario.
In her testimony, Van De Wiele shared that, in the early days of the investigation, police had considered her a person of interest. She described being overwhelmed by grief and fear at the time, feeling misunderstood and alone in the aftermath of her son’s sudden and tragic death.
Initially, she believed the injury could have been accidental and occurred while Nathaniel was in the care of his daycare provider. However, her understanding changed after consultations with doctors while her son was in hospital. Medical professionals informed her that the injury was both severe and immediate, and that anyone present when it happened would have been aware of the harm caused. Despite this, Van De Wiele struggled to accept that someone could have intentionally hurt her child.
Reflecting on her interactions with police nearly a decade ago, she told the court that much of it remains a blur. At the time, she was pregnant and experiencing immense emotional turmoil. She recalled feeling as though she was barely surviving, deeply worried about the baby she was carrying, and uncertain if she could carry on.
She expressed that her fear stemmed from the love she had for her son and the shock of the circumstances surrounding his death.
It wasn’t until 2021, six years after Nathaniel’s passing, that provincial police charged 46-year-old Meggin Van Hoof with one count of manslaughter. Van Hoof, who ran an unlicensed daycare out of her home, has pleaded not guilty.
Written by: C. Soares