Trial of ex-daycare owner accused of assaulting children wraps up

A former New Brunswick daycare owner accused of mistreating children in her care will learn her fate on Sept. 27 when the judge who has been overseeing her trial gives his decision.

Celine Lang, 58, who ran theCouvede laValledaycare inMemramcook, N.B., has been on trial in Court of Queen's Bench in Moncton the past two weeks on a dozen charges. She faces 10 counts of assaulting children, and assault and assault with a weapon a flower pot involving an employee.

Judge Jean-PaulOuellette heard closing arguments today from Crown and defence lawyers.

During trial, witnesses testified about children being bitten byLang, tied to chairs, doused with water, and being physically immobilized at nap time.

• Ex-daycare owner Celine Langgrilled by Crown about dousing boy with water
• Ex-daycare owner testifies she tied children to chairs when they were restless

Friday afternoon Crown prosecutor EricLalondewent over the 12 charges Lang is facing one by one.

He said two different stories had been presented on each charge, and argued the versions told by former employees, includingJoseDelarosbil, were reliable.

Earlier in the day, defence lawyerHazenBriensuggestedDelarosbil, who was a key witness in seven of the 12 charges, embellished and fabricated stories because she was bitter afterLangfired her. He accused her of concocting a plan with three other co-workers to take over the daycare fromLang.

"Her entire proof is suspicious," saidBrien, who argued Lang used "reasonable force" to discipline children.

Use of force

Brien used a controversial section of the Criminal Code, Section 43,also known as the "spanking" law, to defend his client's actions.The law allows use of force by parents or teachers if it is reasonable in the circumstances.

The Liberal government promised last year to repeal that law.

"She manages her daycare as she sees fit.Whether that's a good thing or a bad thing, that's not the question," said Brien,insisting the question is whether Lang did anything criminal.

He referred to an incident when a child was rolling around in a sandboxand Lang grabbed him and held him tightly.

He argued that she was doing soto protect the child from hurting himself or getting sand in his eyes.

"What a crime!" said Briensarcastically. "You wouldn't want someone who's an educator to stop a child from hurting themselves."

Employees testified last week that Langrestrained the child so tightly that she was hurting him.

At the end of the day, the judge addressed the parents from Memramcook who have attended each day of the trial. Ouellette said he understands it has been emotional for them, and that he will make his decision based on the evidence presented in court.

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