Emergency room physician who examined toddler testifies about grave state at manslaughter trial

An ER doctor has testified Friday at a trial looking into the death of a toddler, accusing a babysitter of manslaughter. CTV London’s Nick Paparella reports.

A physician in the emergency department at the Strathroy Middlesex General Hospital testified about the frantic scene on the day the unresponsive body of 15-month-old Nathaniel McLellan was rushed in on Oct. 27, 2015.

“I heard a commotion, a scream or noise. I believe the mother was holding the child with a nurse there,” said Dr. Bryan Lemenchick, who was on duty that day.

He said with some bruising on his forehead, Nathaniel was very lethargic.

“He had a reduced level of consciousness; he was not alert,” he said.

The doctor added the child was showing signs of seizures.

“In my mind there was significant trauma to the brain...we ended up putting a neck brace on him.”

The court heard that the child would eventually be transported to Victoria Hospital in London with Dr. Lemenchick going along in the ambulance.

The child would die there days later as a result of blunt force trauma to the head.

After a drawn-out police investigation lasting several years, officers would eventually charge the child’s former babysitter Meggin Van Hoof.

The toddler had been at her home daycare in Strathroy on the day he was rushed to hospital.

The 46-year-old Van Hoof has pled not guilty to one count of manslaughter.

The lengthy case, which started back in September, was originally slated to last four weeks.

It has now been adjourned until April 29 with other court dates expected in the summer and possibly the fall.