The owner of a daycare in New York City, where a one-year-old child lost their life due to fentanyl poisoning and three others were hospitalized, has pleaded guilty to federal charges, according to officials.

Grei Mendez entered the guilty plea in Manhattan, facing several charges including conspiracy to distribute narcotics resulting in death, possession with the intent to distribute narcotics that resulted in death, and possession with intent to distribute narcotics causing serious bodily injury, as stated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. She could face a minimum of 20 years in prison and potentially life imprisonment.

Mendez’s plea comes over a year after four children were hospitalized due to suspected fentanyl poisoning at the Divino Niño daycare center located in the Bronx. One-year-old Nicholas Dominici tragically passed away at a hospital, while three other children under three years old were treated and subsequently recovered after receiving Narcan, an overdose-reversing medication.

Prosecutors have accused Mendez, her husband Felix Herrera Garcia, and another accomplice of conducting a fentanyl distribution operation within the daycare. Earlier this month, Herrera Garcia was sentenced to 45 years in prison after pleading guilty to his drug-related charges.

Renny “El Gallo” Parra Paredes, another co-conspirator, pleaded guilty in May to charges related to distributing narcotics, admitting that his actions led to death and serious injury. Herrera Garcia’s cousin, Carlisto Acevedo Brito, has also been charged in connection with this case.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams commented on Mendez’s actions, stating, “Grei Mendez has just admitted she conspired to keep and distribute large quantities of highly toxic fentanyl in a Bronx daycare center, a place where parents believed their children would be safe.” This case underscores the tragic impact of the fentanyl crisis and the danger it poses to innocent bystanders due to the reckless actions of drug traffickers.

What transpired at the Bronx daycare?

On September 15, 2023, officers from the New York Police Department responded to calls indicating that children were unresponsive at the daycare. Three children — an 8-month-old girl, a 1-year-old boy, and a 2-year-old boy — were discovered unconscious.

Emergency responders administered Narcan after assessing that the children showed signs of a drug overdose. While two of the children recovered, Dominici died at the hospital.

Another boy, aged 2, who had been sent home before the authorities arrived, survived thanks to his mother noticing he was “lethargic and unresponsive” and taking him to a hospital, as stated by officials.

Prior to this incident, the daycare center had successfully passed three routine inspections conducted by the Department of Health, including an annual unannounced review that revealed no violations. Authorities reported no complaints from the community about drug-related issues at the center.

However, a deeper investigation uncovered over eleven kilograms of fentanyl and heroin concealed in hidden compartments under the floors where children regularly played, ate, and slept, according to prosecutors.

Court documents revealed that a kilogram of fentanyl was found atop play mats in a closet, and drug paraphernalia was hidden beneath the floor, including glassine envelopes stamped with a label referred to as “Red Dawn.” This stamp matched others found in the apartment of Parra Paredes, along with additional drug materials.

Daycare owner accused of trying to conceal drug operation

Prosecutors allege that the drug operation began around October 2022. Between July 2023 and September 2023, Mendez and her associates conspired to distribute fentanyl from the daycare, which she managed from a Bronx apartment, according to court filings.

According to prosecutors, Mendez and Brito, who rented a room in the daycare, attempted to hide the drug operation as children suffered from the effects of fentanyl exposure. Disturbingly, Mendez called her husband and Parra Paredes before calling 911 upon discovering the exposed children, as indicated in a criminal complaint.

Minutes prior to the arrival of emergency responders, surveillance footage reportedly captured Herrera Garcia transporting shopping bags from a back alley. Furthermore, Mendez is accused of deleting approximately 21,526 messages exchanged with Herrera Garcia through an encrypted messaging app.

Authorities sought Herrera Garcia for weeks before finally arresting him on a bus in Sinaloa, with the assistance of Mexican law enforcement and Drug Enforcement Administration agents, according to earlier reports.

Incident led to public outcry

The tragic event led to heightened scrutiny regarding daycare facilities in New York City, causing a backlog in background checks for childcare providers. Local health officials confirmed that employees at the Bronx daycare center had passed their background checks.

During an oversight hearing last year, members of the New York City Council raised concerns about how employees could have passed background checks amidst the existing backlog. Reports indicated the city faced a backlog of 140 background checks for daycare providers and staff.

In response to the incident, New York City officials pledged to enhance safeguards for children after various incidents at daycares generated public outrage.

In a concerning incident at a Bronx day care, three individuals were taken into custody after authorities discovered “ghost guns” and a 3D printer in an unlocked area of the state-licensed facility.

Mayor Eric Adams expressed his dismay during a news conference on September 27, 2023, stating, “It’s heartbreaking to think that you are leaving your child in a safe place, only to learn it was actually a perilous environment. We are committed to working together to ensure the safety of children in our city.”