After years of asking for answers, I received a formal response from the California Attorney General’s Office regarding the death of my daughter, Quinn.

They reviewed the decision not to file criminal charges in her case, and ultimately upheld it.

In their own words, they acknowledged that the evidence could suggest negligence. Quinn was allowed to drift out of sight down a river toward rapids while under the care of an adult. There was also evidence that he had been drinking, yet no blood alcohol testing was conducted.

Still, they determined they could not prove criminal negligence beyond a reasonable doubt.

So no one is being held criminally accountable.

This is the part that should concern everyone, not just me as Quinn’s mother.

Because what happened to Quinn is not some rare, impossible scenario. It was a failure of supervision in a dangerous environment. It is the kind of situation that could happen to any child placed in someone else’s care.

And when actions like this do not result in accountability, the message it sends is dangerous:
that these situations can be written off as accidents, even when preventable decisions were made.

This is not about revenge. It’s about responsibility.

Until negligent actions by caregivers are taken seriously and held to a criminal standard when appropriate, children remain at risk.

Quinn deserved better.

And so does every other child.