Police said a one-year-old infant died in the Unionport section of The Bronx on Friday, Aug. 1.

 

An NYPD spokesperson said that on Friday at around 12.31 p.m., police responded to a 911 call regarding an aided child at 2117 Story Avenue. “Upon arrival, officers were informed that a one-year-old female was unconscious and unresponsive,” the spokesperson said.

 

“The one-year-old was removed by EMS to Montefiore Hospital Einstein, where she was later pronounced deceased,” the spokesperson added. “The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will determine the cause of death. There are no arrests and the investigation remains ongoing.”

 

The deceased has been identified by police as one-year-old River Wilson, who lived at another address on Olmstead Avenue. The NY Post reported that the infant apparently drowned in a daycare pool while an adult was cooking, and that no criminality is suspected. Meanwhile, News 12 The Bronx report that the parents of the baby girl fear their child may have been neglected at the center. Norwood News has, so far, been unable to reach the daycare for comment.

 

We reached out to NYC Department of Health & Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) for more details about the daycare in question and with several questions about oversight and whether it had a license. We were referred to NYS Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS). We raised the same questions with OCFS and a representative replied, saying, “The safety and well-being of all children in OCFS-licensed day care programs is our top priority. OCFS cannot comment on an active investigation.”

 

We were further informed that the inspection history for specific child care programs is available on its website here, and additional information about how OCFS evaluates compliance with regulations, including the types of violations and enforcement actions, is publicly available here. We ran a search for the daycare center, Ana’s Butterfly Family Garden Group, on the site and could not immediately find the daycare in question.

 

The NYS site includes the following extract: “Please note that day care centers in New York City are regulated by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH). To find a licensed day care center in New York City, also known as group child care services,click here to search by borough.” We ran a search on the NYC site and could not immediately locate the daycare in question.

 

A Google search did not display any specific daycare center results for a daycare at 2117 Story Avenue either, though a number of other daycares located nearby have similar names. Some said they were unaffiliated with the one located at 2116 Story Avenue and some we were unable to reach. We will share any further information we obtain.

 

Following the death of one-year-old Nicholas Feliz Dominici from a fentanyl overdose in September 2023 at a Morris Avenue daycare located in the Kingsbridge Heights section of The Bronx, which was used covertly as a stash house for a drug racket, the infant’s family campaigned for greater protection for children placed in the City’s daycare centers and for greater transparency for parents regarding such daycares.

 

Senate Bill S7815A introduced in 2023 which relates to daycare management and oversight, sponsored by State Sen. Gustavo Rivera (S.D. 33), recently passed in the State Senate, as reported. It was accompanied, also in 2023, by Assembly Bill A8966A sponsored by Assemblyman George Alvarez (A.D. 78). According to public records, the latter bill remains at the Assembly committee stage.

 

Subsequent versions of these bills in the form of Senate Bill S6225 and Assembly Bill A3899 were introduced in the 2025-2026 legislative session. The former has passed in the senate and the latter remains at the Assembly committee stage.

 

Among other protections, the new law will empower parents, who elected leaders said are by far their children’s strongest advocates, by ensuring they are informed about avenues for inquiries and complaints to the State’s Office of Children and Family Services, as well as their rights to inspect childcare facilities.  

 

At the city council level, Res. 0563-2024, sponsored by City Councilwoman Pierina Sanchez (C.D. 14) had been referred to the city council health committee as of June 2025. The bill aims to tighten regulations, enhance inspections, and provide training and resources to day care providers and parents to ensure the safety of children in child day care homes, programs, and facilities across New York State, and was drafted in tandem with and supplementary to the accompanying State legislation.

 

The tragic incident comes as the City prepares to vote in the upcoming mayoral general election with Democratic mayoral nominee, Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani (A.D. 36), the current frontrunner, running on a campaign laser focused on affordability, including affordable housing, food, and childcare, which many New Yorkers say is out of their reach currently.

A gofundme page was set up to support the family and can be accessed here. An extract reads as follows:

 

“In Loving Memory of River Edima Wilson

 

With broken hearts, we share the tragic passing of our beloved River Edima Wilson. On August 1st, our world was shattered when River who was only 1 year & 8 months lost her life in a devastating accident—she drowned in the swimming pool at her daycare due to negligence while under their care and supervision.

 

River was a beautiful, joyful baby—full of wonder, light, and laughter. Her radiant smile lit up every room, and her sweet spirit brought immense love to everyone around her. Though her time with us was heartbreakingly short, the love she gave and inspired will never fade.

 

The Wilson family is now enduring the unimaginable pain of losing their first & only child. As we grieve and try to piece our lives back together, we humbly ask for your support—whether through a donation, a share, or simply your prayers.

 

No gift is too small. Your compassion, kindness, and solidarity mean the world to us as we honor River’s memory and take the first steps toward healing.

 

With heartfelt gratitude,

The Wilson Family. ”

In June 2023, a one-month-old baby girl was reported to have been in critical condition following a car crash in Unionport.