Mother of toddler who died cross-examined about door bump at manslaughter trial

Mother of toddler who died questioned her claim that she dropped off a healthy child. CTV London’s Nick Paparella reports.

Rose-Anne Van De Wiele is the first witness to be called at the manslaughter trial looking into how her15-month-old son Nathaniel McLellan died.

Seven days later, she remains on the stand answering questions surrounding the death of her young boy who died after being picked up from his babysitter’s house in Strathroy. The court has heard the toddler died from a head injury.

Van De Wiele has always maintained that on Oct. 27 2015, she dropped off a healthy child.

Under cross examination from defence lawyer Geoff Snow, she was asked about Nathaniel being bumped by a metal door the night before he was taken to his babysitter’s house.

She responded by saying, “I knew this was not what injured my son, I knew my son was fine when I dropped him off at Meggin’s ... my son was healthy.”

Just hours after being taken to the home of 46-year-old Meggin Van Hoof, the mother said she received an urgent call and has repeatedly said, “She (Van Hoof) told me he fell and hit his head. I know for certain that’s what she said.”

Van De Wiele rushed to get her child and took him to the emergency department, saying, “He was just hanging stiff ... at the hospital I thought he was dead, he was hardly breathing, he was lifeless. It was awful.”

After a lengthy police investigation OPP would eventually charge Van Hoof six years later in 2021.

She has pleaded not guilty to manslaughter.

Before the day wrapped up, the defence suggested that she opened the door that struck her child forcefully and Van De Wiele told the court, “I don’t think I used a lot of force, but I don’t remember.”

The trial resumes next week.