The parents of 1-year-old River Wilson, who drowned at a Bronx day care, are suing the facility and its owners, seeking answers and accountability for their daughter's untimely death. According to a report by The Post, the toddler lost her life on August 1 at Ana's Butterfly Garden, a home-based day care center, while a caregiver was preoccupied with cooking.
Ifiok Wilson, River’s father, has addressed the family’s loss and the difficulties they are facing in the aftermath of the incident, stating "Our beautiful baby girl was taken from us when she was only 20 months old." He expressed his and his wife's frustration with the lack of responses from law enforcement and officials, as noted in a news conference. "I want each of you to imagine burying your baby and then having no answers about what happened to her," Ifiok told The Post. The daycare, owned by Ana Feliz Gonzalez and John Guzman, has yet to be charged with any wrongdoing in connection to River's death.
In addition to the lawsuit, US Representative Ritchie Torres has introduced legislation known as River's Law, which would ban swimming pools at residential day cares. This proposal comes in response to what has been described as a significant failure by the state Office of Family and Children’s Services, which only declared the above-ground pool unsafe after the incident. Prior to River’s death, the day care’s pool and barrier had been under scrutiny, but inspectors had previously determined the facility to be safe on multiple occasions, a fact brought to light by a CBS News New York investigation.
The Wilson family was unaware of the existence of a pool at the day care until the month before the incident, despite River being enrolled there for nearly one year, "No parent should have to beg for answers for your child's death," Ifiok stated to CBS News New York. Meanwhile, Torres is advocating for a national ban on pools at home day cares, questioning the current safety regulations, "If we know that residential swimming pools are the leading cause of death among toddlers, then why do we allow them in residential day care centers?"
The ongoing investigation by the NYPD and Bronx District Attorney has yet to result in any charges, with the day care operator Ana Gonzalez remaining unreachable for comment. The case continues to unfold as the medical examiner's office has not released the cause and manner of River's death.
