A Moment of Tragedy”: How River Slipped Away
New York City — On August 1, 2025, the unimaginable happened at a Bronx day care center, Anna’s Butterfly Garden Family Group. Twenty-month-old River Edima Wilson tragically drowned in the facility’s backyard pool after being left unsupervised for an estimated 20 minutes while the daycare operator was cooking.
According to police sources and neighbors, River somehow opened a screen door and gained access to the above-ground pool. A nearby former police officer heard screams and rushed to the scene, performing CPR on the toddler until emergency services arrived. River was transported to Montefiore Einstein Hospital but was pronounced dead despite the rescue attempts, leaving the community and family in heartbreak.
Unsafe Conditions and Oversight Failures
Following the incident, the state immediately suspended the daycare’s license on August 6, citing nine violations including inadequate pool barriers, insufficient supervision, and failure to notify parents or the state agency. Inspections revealed that the pool was installed too close to the house, the fence was too short, and proper alarms and secure gates were missing.
Previous records show that while a May 2025 inspection found no violations, there was a prior citation in March 2023 for lapses in competent supervision. These gaps in safety and oversight highlight a tragic systemic failure that contributed to River’s death, intensifying the grief of her parents, Ima and Ifiok Wilson, who are demanding accountability.
A Family’s Grief and a Community’s Call for Justice
River’s parents say they were assured the daycare met all safety regulations, only to discover that critical protections were missing. Their attorney, James Williams, emphasized that the daycare’s lack of communication has added to the family’s suffering. The family organized a funeral and invited media coverage to raise awareness about the urgent need for stricter childcare oversight.
