Cape Town - The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) has given Linda’s Day Care Centre in Bonteheuwel notice to shut its doors as the investigation into the death of 8-month-old boy Mogammat Qiran Canterbury, who died at the centre, continues.
The baby’s family is still waiting for the autopsy results since Bishop Lavis police launched an investigation on June 2.
It has been over a month since little Qiran’s parents and grandmother were called and told to rush to Vangate
Hospital after he fell sick under the care of his daycare teachers. The family said doctors declared Qiran dead as soon as he arrived at the hospital.
The provincial Education Department said the daycare centre was never registered.
WCED spokesperson Unathi Booi said: “Following the death of the minor, the WCED visited the facility and issued a notice of enforcement for closure on July 19 as it was found that the facility did not comply with the norms and standards for safety as prescribed by the Children’s Act.”
Booi said that the owner, Linda Theunissen, may appeal against the decision as per the act and has 10 days to do so.
The Cape Argus also found out that there’s another daycare centre in Bonteheuwel belonging to Theunissen’s daughter.
According to the WCED, it does not appear on its list of registered early childhood development (ECD) facilities, nor is it in the process of being registered.
Booi said of the second daycare centre: “Regarding We Care Educare, the two facilities operate independently and the findings of the one do not automatically implicate the operations at the other centre.”
Since the death of her grandson, Tasneenah Canterbury said there have been all sorts of claims doing the rounds.
“People are claiming that we are falsely accusing the day care.”
In one instance, the family got hold of a text making the rounds that read: “Good Morning Councillor, Just want to let you know that Linda’s daycare is found not guilty. The little boy died of natural causes. We thank God for the truth and it will prevail. Linda has been vindicated. Now both families can look forward and the family of the deceased can mourn and find comfort in the Lord.”
The grieving grandmother said people seem to forget that the case involves a human being. Her grandson died and they are still waiting for the autopsy results.
“At this moment, I don’t care what people say, but I am glad that Linda’s Day Care has been ordered to close its doors because not even once did they bother to send their condolences to us as a family, or better yet explain what actually happened that day.”
Both Linda Theunissen and the co-founder of Linda’s Day Care, Kim Davids, answered their phones for comment.