Vaughan daycare owners charged with obstructing police in toddler’s death

The owners of an unlicensed daycare in Vaughan face new charges in the investigation into the death of a two-year-old girl in their care.

York police charged both Olena Panfilova, 49, and her daughter Karina Rabadanova, 26, with obstructing police following the July 8, 2013 death of Eva Ravikovich.

They’re accused of interfering with the ongoing police investigation and destroying evidence.

Panfilova, her husband and their daughter are currently on trial on a charge of operating an illegal daycare related to the child’s death.

They each face up to a year in jail if convicted.

The crown is pushing for $1 million in fines.

Both women are not in custody and are scheduled to appear in a Newmarket court on November 12.

Eva’s parents have launched a $3.5-million lawsuit against the owners and operators of the daycare and the Ministry of Education.

Unlicensed daycare providers in Ontario can legally care for no more than five children under the age of 10 in addition to their own children.

When Eva died there were at least 27 children in the facility, and possibly more, her parents allege in the lawsuit. The health inspection found seven day beds in one bedroom and five cribs in another.

Health inspectors found contaminated, expired and rotting food at the daycare. A report from York Region’s public health unit shows an inspector visited the daycare in Vaughan the night of July 8 and found listeria in three different foods.

The daycare was ordered shut down on the grounds of health hazards.

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