Sixteen-month-old Macallan Wayne Saini died on January 18, 2017, at a nursery in Vancouver. Photo by Submitted /Vancouver Sun

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A witness at a sentencing hearing for the unlicensed daycare operator convicted in the so-called Baby Mac daycare tragedy said he saw children strapped into seats in front of the television at the daycare when he went to pick up his daughter.

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The witness, who cannot be identified due to a publication ban, testified at the first of an expected eight-day sentencing hearing for Susy Yasmine Saad. Start your day with a roundup of BC-focused news and opinion delivered straight to your inbox at 7am, Monday to Friday. By clicking the subscribe button you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of our emails. Postmedia Network Inc. | 365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4 | 416-383-2300

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In April, Saad pleaded guilty to failing to provide the necessities of life to nine children, including Macallan Saini, a toddler who was found dead at Olive Branch Family Daycare on Kitchener Street in Vancouver on Jan. 18, 2017. The 16-month-old The boy was discovered unconscious and blue in his playpen with a string of lights wrapped and embedded around his neck. Paramedics were called to the scene but he could not be revived. The necessities of life include providing a safe environment and Saad failed to provide a safe environment for the children in her care and that failure endangered their lives, according to an agreed statement of facts filed in court.

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Saad was operating without a license and looked after up to six toddlers at a time, exceeding the permitted and safe limit of two at a time. He also left toddlers unattended and did not check on sleeping children with reasonable frequency. The Crown is expected to call a total of 11 witnesses to give evidence about a number of disputed aggravating facts in the case before announcing their sentencing position. The identities of the witnesses, all parents of children at Saad’s daycare, cannot be released due to a publication ban imposed by BC Supreme Court Justice Catherine Wedge. The parents testifying at the sentencing hearing are not the parents of the nine children indicted. The first witnesses were a mother and father of a toddler who was brought to Saad’s daycare in March 2010. The dad testified that they were impressed by the materials Saad provided them with before their girl entered the daycare.

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“I remember him being very professional,” the dad said, adding that Saad told them she was going to open a chain of daycare centers. Under questioning from Crown Counsel Mark Myhre, the father said Saad told them she had a license but that when pressed for proof of her license, she made excuses for not providing it and they never saw a license. Susy Yasmine Saad, left, leaves the BC Supreme Court in Vancouver on September 20. Photo by Jason Payne /PNG The dad said he and his partner knew at one point that the maximum number of children for a licensed daycare was seven children and there was a limit of two for children under 18 months. She said they decided to go ahead and hire Saad because it was very difficult to find a daycare and they were “very happy” to find a space and one that was so close to where they live. Asked by Myhre if he saw anything unusual in the short time they had their child at Saad’s daycare, the dad said there were several times when he arrived to pick up his daughter and it seemed like there were more kids or different kids than him. d previously revoked.

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“I remember at least one time when I arrived where the kids were all strapped into high chairs or some kind of car seat, sitting in front of the TV watching a time that wasn’t the normal five o’clock pickup. ” he said. “I also remember a few times where it was clear there were a lot more than seven kids.” She said she did not discuss the issue of child restraints and overcrowding with Saad for several reasons, including that they were preparing to leave the country at the time and knew it would be a short time to use the daycare. The dad said they also knew it was “very, very difficult” to find nursery places. “So while we were concerned about that, we were reluctant to challenge things to the point where we would have to find another nursery. It was kind of like he bit our tongue and we had to accept it.”

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Under cross-examination, the father was asked if his daughter was “ultimately” happy at daycare. “As for her demeanor, she seemed happy there … I had no indication that anything was wrong.” [email protected] More news, less ads: Our in-depth journalism is made possible by the support of our subscribers. For just $3.50 a week, you can get unlimited, ad-lite access to The Vancouver Sun, The Province, the National Post and 13 other Canadian news sites. Support us by subscribing today: The Vancouver Sun | The Province.

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