Illinois boy, 7, drowns in horror accident after foster parents left him alone to shop in Walmart

A man faces prison after the drowning death of his foster child who was allegedly left unattended for an hour while he went on a shopping trip to Walmart .

David Yankee and his spouse, Michael, had been fostering Barret Koches for nearly 30 days before the tragic incident at their home in Springfield, Illinois .

The seven-year-old and his four-year-old brother were were allegedly left in the care of a 10-year-old. David admits he left them alone for nearly 60 minutes to visit the food store , reports NPR Illinois.

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Barret was found dead in the pool at their home, sparking an official probe by the Department of Children and Family Services. In Illinois, "unattended" is defined as lacking the company of someone at least 14 years old.

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A grand jury accused David Yankee of four charges related to putting a child's life or health at risk. Yankee faced the judge for the first time last Thursday and could receive a sentence of imprisonment should he be found guilty.

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The Department of Children & Family Services has since ensured the removal of any other foster children from the household. David Yankee, a financial advisor, ran unsuccessfully for Springfield City Council in 2023.

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