Owner of NYC day care where toddler fatally ingested fentanyl pleads guilty to federal charges

A female who owned a New York City time attraction halfway wherever a toddler died aft ingesting fentanyl pleaded blameworthy to national supplier charges Tuesday.

More than a twelvemonth aft nan September 2023 death of 22-month-old Nicholas Dominici, Grei Mendez entered nan blameworthy plea successful Manhattan to charges including conspiracy to administer narcotics resulting successful death.

Earlier this month, her husband, Felix Herrera-Garcia, was sentenced to 45 years successful prison aft pleading blameworthy to supplier charges and causing bodily harm.

Mendez, 37, cried concisely arsenic she explained that she agreed pinch her hubby and different personification to person and administer drugs, past successful September 2023 helped nan brace package and shop nan narcotics successful nan Bronx flat wherever she ran Divino Niño time care.

“This will haunt maine for arsenic agelong arsenic I live,” said Mendez, who has 4 children of her own.

Mendez said her hubby encouraged her to unfastened nan time attraction center, and she believed he was doing it to thief her. But she said arsenic soon arsenic nan doors opened, she realized that it was really a “perfect measurement to conceal his supplier business.”

Mendez is owed to beryllium sentenced March 3. She faces a mandatory minimum of 20 years successful situation and nan imaginable for up to life down bars.

Three different children exposed to nan fentanyl astatine nan time attraction survived aft medics administered nan overdose-reversing supplier Narcan.

Police executing a hunt warrant connected nan Bronx flat recovered a ample amount of fentanyl and different supplier paraphernalia hidden beneath a trap doorway successful nan children’s play area. Photos shared by constabulary astatine nan clip showed bags afloat of powder concealed by plywood and tile flooring.

Investigators besides recovered a kilogram of fentanyl stored connected apical of playmats utilized by children and aggregate devices for mixing nan powder pinch different narcotics and pressing it into bricks.

Prosecutors person said Mendez besides took steps to screen up nan supplier cognition aft realizing that immoderate of nan children were not waking up from their naps.

They opportunity she called her hubby earlier alerting first responders, who was later seen connected surveillance footage entering nan building and leaving done a backmost alley pinch aggregate shopping bags.

In a statement, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams called Mendez’s behaviour “reprehensible.”

“Grei Mendez has conscionable admitted she conspired to support and administer ample quantities of dangerously toxic fentanyl successful a Bronx Daycare center, a spot wherever parents expected their children would beryllium protected and safe,” he said. “From nan beginning, this lawsuit has shown nan senseless collateral harm caused by nan fentanyl epidemic, and should punctual america each that nan request for forbidden narcotics truthful often puts guiltless bystanders astatine consequence while supplier traffickers ruthlessly prosecute profits.”

Mendez’s lawyers didn’t respond to an email seeking remark Tuesday. They person antecedently said she had nary knowledge of nan supplier operation, while suggesting that her hubby was responsible for nan drugs.

Mendez has besides been charged successful authorities tribunal pinch murder, manslaughter and assault. She has pleaded not guilty.