No parent should have to bury their child. That’s why Mari Andrews decided to start a nonprofit in honor of her son.
Her organization Parents Against Negligent Daycare is set to host its first safety awareness festival on Saturday named "Stokiefest" for her son, Stokely Andrews.
Stokely was playing with a ball at a home daycare on 17th Street NE when it fell into a kiddie pool on June 13, 2017. He drowned trying to reach for it, but no one saw him fall in. The accident happened just days before his second birthday.
“It’s a pain that I don’t wish on anyone,” Andrews said. “In my healing, I wanted to do something to help other parents.”
Parents Against Negligent Daycare provides parents with pool safety tips and other information about what to look for in daycare providers.
“We want to give parents life-saving information for their children," Andrews said. "That’s our gift from (Stokely) to other children.”
The event hopes to be a fun-filled afternoon for the whole family with information on water safety, playground safety, fire safety and more.
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The daycare’s license has been revoked for three years, but no charges have been filed.
Stokiefest will be held at Langdon Park in Northeast D.C. from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday.
