The aunt of the toddler who was killed when an SUV crashed through a Richmond Hill daycare听described the听one-and-a-half-years-old boy as “the heart of our family” whose loss has left “an emptiness that can never be filled.”
Liam Riazati was pronounced dead in hospital following the crash at First Roots Early Education Academy near 听around 3 p.m. on Wednesday. Nine others 鈥 six children and three staff members听鈥 were taken to hospital for varying injuries.
Two of the injured children are in critical condition.听
A memorial will be held Sunday morning at a funeral home in Richmond Hill, and will act as both a tribute to Liam as well as a “call for justice, safety, and accountability in all child care facilities” across the province, an email statement sent to members of the media said.听
According to Mina Riazati, Liam had the kind of laugh that could lift the spirits of all those around him. The cheerful baby boy loved flowers and absolutely adored balloons and toy balls, continued the aunt,听who’s also acting as a spokesperson for the family.听
“He was the greatest gift,” she told the Star in an email. “After 14 years, my brother and his wife were blessed with Liam, and he became their entire world. They gave the very best of themselves to him, and he returned it with a love that was pure and endless.听
“Liam was sweet, intelligent, and so very beautiful 鈥 the kindest and most gentle soul we have ever known. He was always surrounded by love, the kind of love that cannot be described in words,” Mina said.
While the family is still in shock, they’re hoping the tragedy can听raise awareness about improving safety at child care centres across the province.听The family is also calling for a thorough and transparent investigation into the crash.听
“His loss has left an emptiness that can never be filled, but his memory will forever remain our greatest treasure,” a statement from the family read.听
鈥淟iam鈥檚 life was cut short, but his story must bring change.”听
A memorial grows near the boarded up window of a Richmond Hill daycare centre on Thursday night.听
Steve Russell/色色啦 StarVinay Kumar Gupta, 70, was arrested at the daycare and has been charged with a count of dangerous operation causing death and two counts of dangerous operation causing bodily harm.
York Regional Police described the incident as 鈥渘ot a deliberate act,鈥 but added the investigation was ongoing and further charges could be laid in the future.
The day after the collision, Ontario Education Minister and Markham-Stouffville MPP Paul Calandra suggested child care operators should get rid of parking spaces that are 鈥渋mmediately adjacent to entryways, windows and exterior walls of classrooms or playgrounds at child care facilities,鈥 though accessible spaces would be excluded from those changes.
Calandra also announced that he is ordering inspections to 鈥渋dentify any vulnerabilities鈥 at child care facilities across Ontario.
鈥淥ur government will make any necessary legislative or regulatory amendments to municipal or landlord restrictions that currently prevent the installation of protective barriers such as bollards, planters, elevated curbs, and other physical infrastructure to protect children and workers in these settings,鈥 he wrote.
Multiple petitions with hundreds of signatures have been launched in the wake of the deadly crash, urging politicians and child care centres to implement better safety measures to prevent any similar incidents in the future.
The daycare,听along with the mother of one of the children who attends, also launched a to raise funds for families affected by the collision.
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