Daycare provider charged in boy’s drowning

Canon City officials have modified a charge against a woman after a boy in her care drowned in a swimming pool.

52-year-old Leslie Grayson is charged with one count of felony child abuse resulting in death and six counts of misdemeanor child abuse. She was previously charged with one count of felony child abuse and six counts of misdemeanor child abuse.

Grayson is accused of knowingly and recklessly allowing 4-year-old Riddick Boling and six other children to be in a swimming pool unsupervised. Boling drowned in the pool on August 15th at Grayson’s home in the 1300 block of S. 12th Street in Canon City.

Canon City Police interviewed the other children at the pool and it was determined that Grayson was inside the home while the children played in the pool outside. Grayson estimated that she was away for about five minutes. She says that she then heard the children yelling her name and ran outside. The other children had pulled Boling, who was unconscious, to the deck, according to the arrest affidavit. Grayson attempted CPR on Boling and called 911. Paramedics were unable to revive Boling and he died at the hospital.

Grayson is a child licensed daycare provider and certified water-safety instructor, according to her arrest affidavit. Her daycare license was suspended on August 20th.

An arrest warrant for Grayson was issued on September 4th. Grayson is charged with one count of felony child abuse resulting in death for failing to supervise Boling in the swimming pool. Grayson is also charged with six counts of class 2 misdemeanor child abuse for not supervising six other children who were in the pool at the time of the drowning.

Grayson turned herself into Florence Police. She posted her $15,000 bond and was released. She is still out on bond.