Editor’s note: The video above aired on Aug. 12, 2025.
THE BRONX, N.Y. (PIX11) – The family of 20-month-old River Wilson is suing the day care where she died for negligence, their attorney announced on Monday.
Wilson was pulled from an above-ground pool at Ana’s Butterfly Garden Daycare on Aug. 1. She was rushed to a local hospital, where she died, according to authorities.
Her family told PIX11 News they didn’t even know the day care had a swimming pool and couldn’t figure out how Wilson may have climbed a nearly four-foot-tall fence to get to it. The day care was shut down on Aug. 4 and cited for nine violations, according to officials.
Ifiok and Ima Wilson, River Wilson’s parents, claimed that day care owners Ana Feliz Gonzalez and John Guzman did not keep a safe environment for the children they were taking care of.
“Since the loss of our baby, we have not received any closure,” said Ifiok Wilson. “We haven’t heard from the daycare, the police investigators, or the coroner about how our daughter died. Our family is still in the dark. We need answers.”
The Wilsons have accused the day care of ignoring their efforts to contact them about their daughter’s death.
More: Latest News from Around the Tri-State
River Wilson’s death is being investigated by the NYPD and the New York State Office of Children and Family Services.
The Wilsons, along with attorney James Williams and Rep. Ritchies Torres, are holding a news conference on Tuesday to discuss the lawsuit.
Erin Pflaumer is a digital content producer from Long Island who has covered both local and national news since 2018. She joined PIX11 in 2023. See more of her work here.
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