Charges laid in 2017 death at Vancouver daycare

Police say charges have been laid in the death of a toddler more than three years ago at an unlicensed daycare in Vancouver.

Const. Tania Visintin says 16-month-old Macallan Saini was found unresponsive in a playpen at a daycare in east Vancouver in January 2017.

She says the Crown has approved two charges of failing to provide the necessaries of life and one count of fraud over $5,000.

Visintin says the fraud charge relates to an alleged deceit involving the operation of the daycare.

Susy Yasmine Saad appeared in a Vancouver court on Wednesday.

Visintin says the 41-year-old is due to return to court in September.

A 2018 civil suit filed by the toddler's mother, Shelley Sheppard, alleges her son was unsupervised and choked on an electrical cord.

Saad's statement of defence denies responsibility.

In court documents filed with the British Columbia Supreme Court, lawyers for Saad say the death was a tragedy but not the result of negligence. They say Saad met the requisite standard of care and acted in accordance with provincial law.

None of the allegations have been proven in court.