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In article <uedjf8$2o055$
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KINGSBRIDGE, The Bronx (WABC) -- Two people already in custody over
the death of a 1-year-old at a Bronx day care are now facing federal
charges.
Grei Mendez, the day care owner, and Carlisto Acevedo Brito were
charged with narcotics possession with intent to distribute
resulting in death and conspiracy to distribute narcotics resulting
in death in connection with the overdose of four children under the
age of three, one of whom died, at the day care.
Police are still searching for Mendez's husband for questioning.
They say he was caught on video fleeing the scene amid the deadly
fentanyl exposure on Friday.
First responders were summoned on Friday afternoon to Divino Nino
Daycare on 2707 Morris Ave. for reports of cardiac arrest.
Nicholas Dominici, 1, died after police say he was exposed to
fentanyl that was in the day care.
Acevedo Brito, 41, and Mendez, 36, were dealt 11 charges including
murder, manslaughter, and assault. Officials say Brito is a tenant
who was renting a room from Mendez and is is the cousin of Mendez's
husband.
The defendants tried to cover up the overdoses of the babies,
prosecutors said Tuesday. Investigators discovered video of someone
"carrying two full shopping bags" out of the day care, leaving the
children suffering the effects inside and in desperate need of help.
Detectives have learned that Mendez talked to her husband several
times, before calling 911, in the immediate aftermath of Friday
afternoon's tragedy.
Prosecutors say Mendez deleted 20,000 text messages from her phone
before she was arrested, but they managed to recover them.
A kilogram of fentanyl was stored on top of children's playmats used
for napping at the day care, according to the criminal complaint.
"The defendants alleged conduct that led to those poisonings is
unconscionable, it's inexcusable, and it's the reason that they are
now in federal custody," said U.S. Attorney Damian Williams.
Since July, the two people charged conspired to distribute fentanyl
at the day care where they maintained large quantities of fentanyl
"despite the daily presence of children, including infants," the
complaint said.
Officials say the defendants also kept at the day care kilo presses,
which are designed for the re-compression of drugs in powder form
commonly used by narcotics traffickers at mills or other locations
where drugs are broken down, combined with fillers or other
narcotics, and portioned for sale.
"As a consequence of the defendants' drug conspiracy, on or about
September 15, 2023, at the day care, four children, who were all
under three years of age, appeared to have experienced the effects
of poisoning from exposure to fentanyl. Three of the children were
hospitalized with serious injuries. The fourth child, a one year-old
boy, has died," the complaint said.
Mendez called 911 at 2:40 p.m. to report children in her care were unresponsive. Dominici was pronounced dead at the hospital, where
the others, who range in age from 8 months to 2 years, were given
Narcan. An analysis of urine from one of the victims confirmed the
presence of fentanyl in the child's body.
The DEA's Frank Tarentino said fentanyl now represents the "most
urgent threat" the nation faces.
"Fentanyl is exquisitely dangerous," New York City Health
Commissioner Ashwin Vasan said. "I use the word exquisitely because
I don't have another word to describe how dangerous this drug is."
An emotional Mayor Eric Adams expressed outrage at the crime on
Monday.
"This is total madness that we lost a child to this dangerous
substance," Adams said. "And we almost lost four children to this
dangerous substance. There needs to be a full national assault on
this drug entering our city."
Prosecutors said Mendez participated in the "reckless, depraved act"
by renting Brito the room in the day care.
Mendez's attorney said his client was unaware drugs were being
stored in her day care by her husband's cousin, who she was renting
a room for $200 a week.
"Her only crime was renting her room to someone who had a kilo,"
attorney Andres Aranda said. "There is no evidence that she did
anything but care properly for these children."
The father of one of the 2-year-old boys said it is a miracle that
his son Jaziel Lino survived the fentanyl exposure and it was only
his son's fourth day at the day care. He is now back at home.
Lino's father said now looking back, he finds it suspicious that
there were three men standing outside of the day care on that
Thursday and that Friday.
However, Otoniel Feliz, Dominici's father, is mourning and
processing how he lost his son at a place he assumed was safe.
"I love him, I miss him, I want him back - but there's nothing that
will give me back my son - when I came home from work and walked
through the door, he'd say 'daddy, daddy!'" said Otoniel Feliz. "My
wife was on her way to the day care. She was going to pick him up
early. Shortly before she arrives, she receives the call and also
sees the ambulance."
The day care, for children between 6 weeks and 12 years old,
recently opened in January and just passed a surprise visit from
city inspectors last week with no violations found.
When asked if the circumstances that led up to the incident fell
through the cracks, Adams insisted that the city did its job and
that inspections, including the surprise visit, and background
checks were performed.
"Who did not do their job are the people who were there to protect
the children," Adams said. "Part of this relationship is based on
trust, that those who are taking care of our children are going to
do it in a safe manner. They broke that trust."
After the children were removed from the day care, the fire
department tested the air for environmental hazards and found no
evidence of carbon monoxide. Officials then began to suspect opioid
exposure and executed a search warrant to search the rooms,
cabinets, and other spaces, where a drug packaging device was found.
A Grand Jury is scheduled to be convened on Thursday.
https://abc7ny.com/bronx-child-killed-day-care-death/13799425/
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