Rep. Ritchie Torres, joined by River Wilson’s dad and mom, aunt and grandmother, proclaims his invoice to ban swimming swimming pools at home-based daycares on Sept. 2, 2025.
Picture Emily Swanson
Rep. Ritchie Torres introduced on Wednesday his new invoice, dubbed “River’s Law,” which might prohibit in-home daycares from having swimming swimming pools on their premises.
The laws was named in reminiscence of River Wilson, the 20-month-old Citadel Hill toddler who drowned at her daycare’s swimming pool on Aug. 1.
If the invoice passes, residential daycares with swimming pools wouldn’t have the ability to obtain licenses, and house owners can be required to put in security alarms on doorways and home windows. The textual content of the invoice shouldn’t be but accessible, however Torres mentioned he’s pushing for it to change into legislation on the federal and state ranges.
He introduced the laws at PO Serrano Playground, the place River steadily performed along with her dad and mom, Ifiok and Ima Wilson, based on the toddler’s aunt, Inemesit O’Boyle.
The dad and mom didn’t deal with the media however stood behind Torres, flanked by images of them with River, who was their solely little one.
Torres described the town’s residential daycare system as “broken,” affected by understaffing and an absence of regulation.
“The failure to protect River was as unforgivable as her drowning was preventable,” he mentioned.
Inspectors on the daycare have been “too late and too slow” to flag issues with the above-ground pool, which was discovered to be unsafe solely after River’s demise, mentioned Torres.
In an Aug. 4 inspection after the incident, the daycare was cited for 9 violations pertaining to the pool and improper supervision, and Gonzalez Feliz’s daycare license is now listed as suspended on the web site for the state Workplace of Kids and Household Providers (OCFS).
Nevertheless, inspectors visited the ability six instances between March 2023 and Might 2025 and issued no violations relating to the pool or some other elements of operation. On March 7, 2023, the daycare obtained one violation for lack of supervision throughout an annual unannounced go to, nevertheless it was listed as corrected the following day.
Torres mentioned this inconsistency raises considerations over inspection high quality.
“These inspections cannot be trusted to protect our toddlers and infants, and so out of an abundance of caution, we have no choice but to prohibit these swimming pools altogether,” ssid Torres.
He pointed to “layers upon layers upon layers of preventable safety failures” that led to River’s drowning. If she had been correctly supervised, if inspectors had flagged issues with the pool or if the pool had sufficient fences or alarms, the tragedy wouldn’t have occurred, he mentioned.
Screenshot from video of River Wilson and her mom on the swings at PO Serrano Playground, the place the household steadily visited. Picture courtesy Wilson household
In keeping with the Facilities for Illness Management, drowning is the main reason behind unintended demise amongst toddlers, principally occurring in residential swimming pools, and 1000’s of kids are taken to emergency rooms every year for accidents from non-fatal drownings, mentioned Torres.
“Why do we permit swimming pools in residential daycare centers that are dangerously understaffed, dangerously underregulated and dangerously underinspected?” Torres mentioned. “The consequences are both predictable and preventable.”
Legal professional James Williams praised Torres for taking motion to stop different households from struggling the identical destiny because the Wilsons. He mentioned the household has obtained an outpouring of assist, however legislative motion is critical to convey lasting change.
“So much of the pain around this event has come from the fact that it was preventable,” he mentioned.
Inemesit O’Boyle, River’s aunt and Ima Wilson’s sister, additionally thanked Torres and mentioned the consequences of her niece’s demise proceed to reverberate.
“We want River back, but I also want my sister back, and her husband. Once a family loses a child, their entire world is destroyed,” she mentioned.
After addressing the media, Torres joined the Wilsons in a stroll to 2117 Story Ave., the previous residence of Ana’s Butterfly Backyard Household Group.
Ifiok and Ima Wilson pay tribute to their daughter, who drowned at her Citadel Hill daycare on Aug. 1, 2025. Picture Emily Swanson
The massive signal promoting the daycare, which as soon as hung in entrance of the home, had been eliminated, and two memorials with candles, stuffed animals and different momentos remained on the bottom on either side of the driveway gate. Reporters with the Bronx Instances and different retailers knocked and rang the bell on the home, however nobody answered.
In entrance of the place the place River died, her dad and mom lit white candles and hung out in dialog with Torres.
Williams, the lawyer, mentioned the Wilsons is not going to relaxation till the daycare employees and inspectors are held accountable — however the wheels of justice are turning slowly.
Legal professional James Williams, a longtime good friend of the Wilson household, addresses media questions outdoors the daycare at 2117 Story Ave., the place River died. Picture Emily Swanson
It has been “some time” because the household obtained any updates from legislation enforcement, and it stays unclear whether or not fees can be introduced towards the daycare or the inspecting company, mentioned Williams.
“We can only hope that the police and everyone else is investigating this thoroughly, leaving no stone unturned,” he mentioned.
He mentioned the daycare proprietor has by no means spoken with the Wilsons to elucidate what occurred and despatched only one “hollow, superficial, insulting” textual content message expressing love for River.
“If you loved River, you wouldn’t hide behind this gates and behind these walls but you’d come out into the light and explain yourself,” mentioned Williams.