The ruling on expiation for one whose child drowned in the house

Question:
A message from the listening sister (B. M. N) says: I am a woman whose child drowned in the house seven years ago. Now, with the will of Allah the Exalted, I want to fast for two consecutive months, but I was told that after this period has passed, your fasting is not valid. Is it true that fasting is not valid as I was told? May Allah reward you with good.

Answer:
This requires detail. If his death was due to drowning caused by you, then you must fast, unless you find a male or female slave, in which case you should buy and free them, and there is no harm in that; because accidental killing requires expiation, and the expiation is freeing a male or female slave, meaning a believing male or female slave. If that is facilitated, that is what is obligatory. If it is not facilitated, then you must fast for two consecutive months; sixty days, if his death was due to drowning caused by you.
As for if his death was due to drowning not caused by you and you had no role in it, then you owe no fasting and no freeing of a slave. If you placed him near the place of drowning and he was small and could not manage or direct himself, then you are the cause. But if he was far from the causes of drowning in the house or in any distant place, but he went to some needs during your inattention and fell into a river or a pool of water or the like, and he was far from you, you had no causation in it, and you are not considered negligent or the cause in this, then you owe nothing. And you know yourself best and know the reality best.
And if you know or it is most likely in your opinion that you are the cause, then fasting is sufficient even after a period of years. If it is most likely in your opinion that you have no cause in that and the matter occurred... the caution was not that you had causation in it and did not bring him near the place of drowning, then you owe nothing, and praise be to Allah. Yes.

The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.