Caregiver pleads guilty to negligence in toddler’s death
18-month-old girl was left alone in car seat in closet for more than five hours
Little Ceira McGrath was left in a closet in a car seat for hours, where she eventually choked to death, while her caregiver ran errands, court heard Monday.
Elmarie Simons pleaded guilty to criminal negligence causing the death of the 18-month-old who died from asphyxiation on Nov. 12, 2015.
“The asphyxiation was caused by the car seat strap,” Crown prosecutor Pam McCluskey told provincial court Judge Jim Ogle.
McCluskey said while more detailed facts will be prepared for Simons’ sentencing hearing next Monday, she read from a brief set of facts to support the guilty plea.
The prosecutor said Simons put the toddler in a car seat in her unlicensed southwest Calgary dayhome.
“The car seat was too small for Ceira,” McCluskey said.
“Simons did not properly buckle Ceira into the car seat. Given Ceira’s size, it would be impossible for Simons to properly buckle Ceira into the car seat.”
McCluskey said the child was buckled into the seat, but Simons did not properly restrain her at the crotch area.
“Thus, there was nothing preventing Ceira from sliding down the car seat,” she said.
“Simons put the car seat in a carpeted walk-in closet. Simons left Ceira in that car seat in that closet for more than five hours.
“While Ceira was in the car seat, in the closet, Simons left the home and ran errands at Walmart and went to McDonald’s,” McCluskey said.
Even after returning home the offender did not check on the child.
McCluskey said Simons lied to police about the circumstances leading to the toddler’s death.
“Simons’ lies show she knew, or ought to have known, that she took a risk in how she treated Ceira on the day Ceira died.”
Simons remains free on bail pending her sentencing.