NEW YORK, NY August 10, 2005 —A daycare center owner in Queens has been charged with reckless endangerment over the death of 7-month-old Matthew Perilli. His death last summer led to major reforms in the city’s oversight of childcare. WNYC’s Fred Mogul has more.

A Health Department inspector had visited the Devlin Daycare Center in Forest Hills an hour before Perilli died of suffocation. Unsupervised toddlers piled toys in his crib.

Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Frieden accepted blame for the situation and overhauled the daycare bureau -- firing its veteran chief, hiring more inspectors, clarifying guidelines and making information more available to parents through a website and the 3-1-1 call center.

The owner of Devlin Day Care could be punished by up to a year in prison.