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A daycare operator in Vancouver has admitted to one count of failing to provide the necessaries of life to nine children, including a 16-month-old baby — known as Baby Mac — who died at the unlicensed daycare in B.C. in 2017.
Baby Mac, whose real name is Macallan Saini, allegedly choked to death on an electrical cord at the daycare. Although eight other children are involved in the case, he was the only child who died while at the daycare.
The names of the other children are subject to a publication ban.
Susy Yasmine Saad ran the unlicensed daycare, under the name Olive Branch Daycare in Vancouver.
According to court documents from the B.C. Supreme Court, Baby Mac started going to the daycare in January of 2017.
On January 18 of that year, Baby Mac's mother — Shelley Sheppard — arrived to pick her son up at the daycare and claimed that a firetruck was in front of it. When she went inside she said she saw "that the daycare was overcrowded with children," the decision added.
Sheppard claims that Saad had hidden a child and that other children were "strapped to chairs."
She then went up the stairs to find her son, Macallan Saini, on the floor.
"He had a 'grey' pallor and it was evident to her that he was deceased," the decision added.
Before the death of Baby Mac, Saad had previously been investigated by Vancouver Coastal Health Authority for operating without a license. There were complaints of the daycare having "too many children," said the decision.
Saad had previously denied the negligence allegations.
In August 2020, Saad was charged with two counts of failing to provide necessities of life and one count of fraud over $5,000.
According to Global News, Saad has now pleaded guilty to one count of failing to provide the necessaries of life to nine children, including Baby Mac.
Saad is set to appear in court on May 4, in order to set a sentencing date. The crime reportedly carries a maximum prison term of five years.
