The quiet suburb of Richmond Hill, Ontario, was thrust into mourning this week after a devastating crash at a local daycare claimed the life of a toddler and left several others injured, prompting grief, outrage, and urgent calls for change. On Wednesday, September 10, 2025, at around 3 p.m., a Hyundai SUV driven by a 70-year-old man plowed through the storefront window of First Roots Early Education Academy, a bustling daycare near Yonge Street and Nottingham Drive. The horrifying incident unfolded during afternoon pickup, a time when the facility was teeming with children, parents, and staff.
According to York Regional Police, the crash resulted in the death of a one-and-a-half-year-old boy and left six other children—aged between 18 months and three years—injured. Two of the children remained in critical condition as of Thursday, while the others, along with three adult staff members who were also struck, suffered non-life-threatening injuries. In total, police confirmed that 96 children were inside the building at the time of the crash, each in various rooms throughout the center.
The driver, identified as Vinay Kumar Gupta, was arrested at the scene. He now faces one count of dangerous operation causing death and two counts of dangerous operation causing bodily harm. Gupta was granted bail at a court hearing the following day, with strict conditions including a prohibition on driving or possessing car keys. The court also imposed a publication ban on details from the bail hearing to protect the privacy of those involved. Police have emphasized that, based on current evidence, "there is no reason to believe the collision was deliberate," as York Regional Police Chief Jim MacSween stated. Investigators are still working to determine what triggered the crash, which occurred in the parking lot at the back of the building, but have not yet disclosed a cause.
The aftermath of the tragedy has sent shockwaves through the Richmond Hill community. Parents and local residents gathered at the crash site, laying flowers, teddy bears, and candles beneath the boarded-up window where the car entered. A poignant sign reading "please slow down" remained mounted on the wall, a silent plea for safer streets. Among the mourners was Emirson Bekirovski, a father whose four-year-old daughter attends the daycare. "We're obviously very happy that our daughter's with us and safe, but obviously we're pretty traumatized at the fact this happened so close to home," Bekirovski told Global News. He described the chaos and confusion that followed the urgent message from the daycare, instructing parents to pick up their children immediately. His wife, upon arriving at the scene, was greeted by a swarm of police cars and helicopters, a sight that left her deeply shaken.
Other parents and community members echoed these sentiments. Ruth Brainis, a local mother of two, said she was "devastated and sick to her stomach" upon hearing the news. "When it's children, it hits really hard. I can't imagine the suffering these poor parents are going through. I don't wish it on anybody," she said as she placed flowers at the site. Hava Jouharchi, a resident for over 25 years whose children once attended the same daycare, recounted her shock: "My son was just passing by here like 10 minutes before it happened, and so that's how I found out. We don't have anything like this happen and I was just shocked."
Richmond Hill Mayor David West described the city as being in mourning. Speaking to CBC Radio's Metro Morning, he said, "To imagine the situation that these people are in is just unthinkable, even today after this has had some time to sink in. We are a strong community. We will stand together and do what we need to help everyone get through this." The daycare itself, First Roots Early Education Academy, issued a statement expressing that it was "in a state of shock," and that its foremost priority was supporting families and staff. "We are devastated and still processing what happened, but our foremost and only priority is supporting our families and staff members," the statement read. The center also thanked emergency responders and the wider public for their support, while asking for privacy as the community grieves.
In response to the tragedy, the Ontario government moved swiftly to propose new safety measures aimed at preventing similar incidents. Education Minister Paul Calandra announced that the province is considering legislative changes that would require operators and municipalities to prevent the use of parking spaces immediately adjacent to entryways, windows, and exterior walls of classrooms or playgrounds at child-care facilities. Exceptions would be made for accessible spaces and private home-based child-care centers. Calandra stated, "Our government will make any necessary legislative or regulatory amendments to municipal or landlord restrictions that currently prevent the installation of protective barriers, such as bollards, planters, elevated curbs and other physical infrastructure, to protect children and workers in these settings." He also directed his ministry to work with service managers, inspectors, and providers to identify vulnerabilities and take immediate action ahead of any legislative changes.
The proposed changes have been met with broad support from parents and community leaders, who see them as a necessary step to safeguard children and staff. The incident has also renewed discussions about urban planning, traffic safety, and the responsibilities of both drivers and facility operators in ensuring that such spaces are secure. While the investigation into the crash continues, police have urged anyone with footage or additional information to come forward, emphasizing that more charges could be laid as new evidence emerges.
At the scene, the physical reminders of the tragedy remain stark. The large window shattered by the vehicle has been boarded up with plywood and lumber. Stuffed animals, flowers, a mini basketball, and a candle sit just beneath it, facing the parking lot where the crash began. The Hyundai SUV itself, which showed little visible damage aside from a dangling license plate and broken glass on its hood, was towed away on Wednesday evening. For many, these images capture the heartbreak of a community grappling with loss—and the determination to prevent such a tragedy from ever happening again.
As Richmond Hill comes to terms with this devastating event, the outpouring of support and resolve to protect its youngest residents stands as a testament to the community’s resilience. The coming weeks will see continued investigation, policy debates, and, most importantly, the slow process of healing for those most deeply affected by a tragedy that no family should ever have to endure.
