BRONX, NEW YORK: Otoniel Feliz, the father of the unfortunate infant who died due to fentanyl exposure at Bronx daycare on September 15, said the family “feel betrayed by that day care.”
Feliz added that they "trusted" the owner Grei Mendez, 36, of Divino Nino Daycare in Kingsbridge, where his son, the one-year-old Nicholas Feliz Dominici, was enrolled for a brief time.
Mendez along with her two other accomplices were indicted for murder on Thursday, October 5.
Bronx daycare served as front for drug factory
During a press conference at the Bronx District Attorney’s Office, it became clear that Feliz's family's trust and that of other parents had been betrayed by owner Mendez.
The daycare allegedly served as a facade for the drug factory. Per the New York Post, the city medical examiner’s office has termed little Nicholas’s death as a homicide by acute fentanyl intoxication.
Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark said at the press conference, “This is a catastrophe,” before adding, “Our sorrow is matched only by the outrage because these babies were used as shields to protect a narcotics operation.”
Clark added, “This was not really a day care center — this was a drug operation,” before continuing, “And they used babies as a shield. I’m outraged.”
Three people have been indicted, including the owner of the daycare, Grei Mendez, her husband Felix Herrera Garcia, 34, and his cousin Carlisto Brito, 41, who all hail from the Bronx.
The toddler’s father said in the press conference that Mendez would send them updates on “each and every little thing,” when Nicholas used to be there.
After Mendez was arraigned by the Bronx Supreme Court, he said, “We feel betrayed by that day care,” before explaining, "because they would send us photos, would send us text messages with everything that happened throughout the day. We trusted them because we saw it was a place that would keep us informed.”
Holding up a photo of the child, the heartbroken father mourned that he hoped to hold his son’s kindergarten graduation picture one day, but now he is left with only “a reminder of his death.”
During the press conference, he said, “We feel really emotional because we remember every single detail from this tragic event. It’s really hard for us.”
He thanked the investigators, but said, “Everything that is done will not bring my son back.”
What happened at the Bronx daycare?
The tragedy unfolded at around 2.40 pm on September 15, when four children - including Nicholas, two two-year-old boys and an eight-month-old girl were found unresponsive at the basement, per New York Post.
The outlet reported that the children were supposed to wake up from their nap at 2.30 pm. All of them had eaten 90 minutes earlier.
When the babies were found unresponsive, all four of them were rushed to the hospital where Nicholas was declared dead.
The rest of the three children were treated with Narcan. Authorities, at the time, said the children showed signs of opioid exposure, per The Associated Press.
Upon further investigation, the investigators found a kilogram (2.2 pounds) of fentanyl in a closet in the day care center. They also retrieved 6 kilograms (13.23 pounds) of fentanyl, heroin and other controlled substances from under a trap door in the floor where the children napped.
Dominici was pronounced dead at a hospital. The other three children, ranging in age from 8 months to 2 years old, were treated for what authorities said was fentanyl exposure.
After the children fell sick, Mendez and Brito were arrested. Herrera Garcia, who fled to Mexico, was later arrested and extradited to New York.
The three of them were indicted on Thursday, October 5, on charges of second-degree murder, second-degree manslaughter, assault and drug possession, per New York Post.
