New Jersey mom demands answers after 4‑year‑old son died at daycare

A New Jersey mother is demanding answers after her 4‑year‑old son, Yasmir Robins, died at daycare Blooming Hearts Child Development Center in Hillsborough on Aug. 14.

Shanya Robins, 28, told NJ Advance Media she received a call from the daycare director at 11:42 a.m. stating her son was unresponsive. When she arrived around 12:05 p.m., she found Yasmir limp in a highchair with food coming from his mouth.

Robins removed him from the chair and realized he was not breathing. She instructed staff to call 911. CPR began only after guidance from a dispatcher, according to her attorney, Fallon Stephenson.

Yasmir was pronounced dead at a hospital later that day.

New Jersey Mother Questions Timeline and Daycare Response

Stephenson told NJ Advance Media there is no evidence the daycare called 911 or began CPR before Robins arrived.

Robins said she has been searching for clarity about how her son’s medical emergency was handled and why she found him in such a condition.

She is asking the agencies responsible for protecting children in New Jersey for transparency and accountability.

In a public statement shared on Facebook, Robins asked:

“Was every required emergency procedure followed? Why did I arrive to find my child in the condition that I did?”

She also questioned why the daycare remains listed as a licensed childcare center while she awaits final investigative findings.

Investigations Underway

The Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office confirmed in a statement  the investigation is active and ongoing. Officials said the child became unresponsive at the licensed center and later died at a local hospital.

Robins said she has cooperated fully with investigators and hired a pathologist to independently review her son’s death.

Remembering Yasmir

Robins described Yasmir, who had cerebral palsy, as a loving, happy child who smiled and laughed often. He had attended the daycare since he was four months old.

Robins said she wants justice for her son Yasmir while knowing no outcome can bring her only child back.

“I want justice for my kid, and I want what’s right. Regardless of the outcome, I still have to go on in life without my kid. There is nothing I can do to bring him back, no matter how much I want to. Everyone can continue their life, while I’m left without a kid.”

“My son’s life mattered. He deserved to be protected. He deserves answers, and I will continue advocating for him even though he is no longer here to advocate for himself.”