Listeria found at Toronto daycare where tot died

Public health inspectors found listeria in a chicken stew, cooked grains and deli meats at an illegal Vaughan home daycare where a toddler died in July.

Inspectors also found garbage with dirty diapers in the kitchen; expired or rotting food in the fridge and freezer; unsanitized toys; evidence of inadequate hand washing or dishwashing capacity, eva_ravikovich.jpg.size.xxlarge.letterboxand other sanitation concerns in the home at 343 Yellowood Circle, according to the inspection report obtained under a Freedom of Information request.

Police noted that 14 dogs and nine children were found in a house next door to the unregulated home daycare where 2-year-old Eva Ravikovich died July 8, according to notes by York Region Public Health inspector Cameron Weighill.

Meanwhile, one family is alleging their 3 1/2-year-old daughter, who was toilet-trained, was made to wear diapers and belted into a car seat while watching TV unsupervised in the basement of the daycare. The family said their child often smelled like a dog when she came home.

The Toronto Star reports at least 35 children were registered at the daycare by the operator, who appeared to be caring for them in the two homes, York public heath officials have said.

The coroner has not yet determined a cause of death in the troubling case.

Public health officials on July 8 and 9 also found a “garlic-tomato mixture that appeared to be fermenting in the fridge . . . dried oatmeal stored under the sink with cleaners and garbage,” cheese in the freezer with a best-before date of September 2012, and deli meat in the fridge that expired on June 19.

“From the diapers in the kitchen, to the fermenting food in the fridge, it’s really quite something,” said Andrea Calver of the Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care, which made the freedom of information request for the public health report in July.

The coalition is calling on the government to license all people who provide child care in their homes.

A spokesperson for York public health said she was unable to comment on the inspector’s findings due to the ongoing investigation and litigation around the death.

The toddler’s parents, Ekaterina Evtropova and Vycheslav Ravikovich launched a $3.5 million lawsuit in August against the daycare owners and operators, as well as the education ministry. They allege that neglect and a failure to follow up on complaints about the number of kids at the daycare led to Eva’s death.

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About Douglas Powell

A former professor of food safety and the publisher of barfblog.com, Powell is passionate about food, has five daughters, and is an OK goaltender in pickup hockey. Download Doug’s CV here. Dr. Douglas Powell editor, barfblog.com retired professor, food safety 3/289 Annerley Rd Annerley, Queensland 4103 dpowell29@gmail.com 61478222221 I am based in Brisbane, Australia, 15 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time