Overview

• State records show the home-based daycare was shut down on August 4 after nine violations were cited, including a prior 2023 citation for inadequate supervision.
• A New York City Department of Buildings inspection on August 11 found the pool sat only 20 inches from the property line and the barrier fence measured 36 inches instead of the required 48.
• On August 1, 20-month-old River Wilson was discovered unconscious in the above-ground pool and later died at a hospital despite CPR by a former Kentucky police officer.
• The child’s family held a funeral this week in Castle Hill and has retained attorney James Williams to demand accountability from the daycare operator.
• The NYPD, the state Office of Children and Family Services and the district attorney’s office are jointly probing the case while awaiting the medical examiner’s report, and no charges have been filed.