By Calvin Palmer
A New York City baby sitter was accused of taking cold medicine and sleeping as an 11-month-old boy fell head-first into a bucket of water and died.
Kristal Khan, 28, of South Richmond Hill, Queens, was charged with endangering the welfare of a child when she appeared in court yesterday.
As the charge was read out furious relatives of James Farrior screamed at Khan. They believe she should be facing a more serious charge.
The relatives were further enraged when the judge set bail at $5,000. Khan spent last night in custody.
Outside the court, the child’s mother, 25-year-old Chrisann Josiah, said: “She should be charged with negligent homicide. She knew how my son was. She left the bucket in the same room. It’s not like James went into another room. She left it in the same room.”
Paramedics and police were called to Khan’s home on Monday.
Police say Khan found the child face down in the bucket of water after she had stepped out of her living room briefly to retrieve a mop.
James was taken to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center where he was later pronounced dead.
Josiah said she wants to know “what happened”.
“How long was my son in that bucket?” she said. “Did he suffer? Did she try to save him?”
District Attorney Richard A. Brown said Khan faces up to a year in jail if convicted.
Khan’s attorney, Eugene Guarino, says the mother of two is distraught and “extremely remorseful.”
[Based on reports by newsday.com and the New York Daily News.]
