Bronx, NY, owner of daycare where 1-year-old died pleads guilty

UPI — A search of the Divino Niño Daycare in the Bronx, NY, in September 2023 uncovered drugs and drug paraphernalia. On Tuesday, Grei Mendez admitted to running a drug distribution center out of the daycare after four children fell ill from the drug, including a 1-year-old boy who died. Photo courtesy of the Department of Justice/Release

Oct. 29 (UPI) — The owner of a Bronx, N.Y., daycare center where four children under her supervision suffered fentanyl poisoning last year, including a 1-year-old who died, pleaded guilty Tuesday to selling the powerful and dangerous drug from the center.

A 37-year-old woman, Grei Mendez, admitted in court Tuesday that she conspired to possess and distribute large quantities of fentanyl from the Bronx daycare center, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said.

“Mendez’s despicable conduct resulted in the unnecessary and tragic death of a child, and the poisoning of three others,” Williams said. a statement.

“From the beginning, this case has demonstrated the senseless collateral damage caused by the fentanyl epidemic and should remind us all that the demand for illegal narcotics so often endangers innocent bystanders while drug traffickers ruthlessly pursue profit.”

Mendez pleaded guilty to one count each of: conspiracy to distribute narcotics causing death and serious bodily harm, possession with intent to distribute narcotics causing death, and possession with intent to distribute narcotics causing serious bodily injury lead to injury.

The charge carries a prison sentence of 20 years to life.

Prosecutors accused she and her husband, Felix Herrera Garcia, from running a drug operation out of their Divino Niño daycare center in the Bronx. He was sentenced to 45 years in prison on October 16 after pleading guilty in June.

According to federal prosecutors, the couple distributed narcotics from the daycare center from October 2022 until the afternoon of September 15, 2023, when Mendez called police about three unconscious children between the ages of 8 months and 2 years old.

The children were rushed to hospital, where a 1-year-old boy died. The two other children were treated with Narcan, a treatment to prevent opioid overdoses. A fourth child, who had been picked up from the center earlier, was later taken to hospital.

Police searched the facility and discovered 1 kilo of fentanyl in a bag stacked on children’s play mats in a hallway closet. Additional drugs were also found under a trap floor, as well as tools used to distribute them.