A New York City woman who ran a daycare in the Bronx has been sentenced to 45 years in prison after a tragic incident where a 1-year-old child died from fentanyl poisoning. The case shocked the city and highlighted the dangers of the ongoing fentanyl crisis in the U.S.
Grei Mendez, 37, was responsible for operating Divino Niño Daycare out of a small Bronx apartment. She, along with her husband and other accomplices, used the daycare as a front for a large-scale fentanyl packaging and distribution operation. In September 2023, four children at the daycare suffered fentanyl overdoses, and one of them, Nicholas Dominici, tragically lost his life.
On the morning of September 15, 2023, the children were dropped off at the daycare by their parents in good health. Mendez fed them lunch and put them down for a nap. Around 1:50 p.m., she spoke with an employee at the Kingsbridge Heights Community Center, which had referred children to the daycare, and claimed that everything was fine. However, she mentioned that Nicholas was breathing in an unusual way. An hour later, Nicholas and another child became unresponsive.
Instead of calling 911 immediately, Mendez made several phone calls, including one to her husband. It was only after speaking with him that she called emergency services. Shortly before authorities arrived, surveillance footage captured Mendez’s husband running out of the building carrying two heavy bags. When emergency responders reached the daycare, they discovered fentanyl hidden beneath a colorful mat in a trapdoor on the daycare floor.
Shockingly, Mendez had removed her own 2-year-old child from the daycare earlier when she noticed signs of fentanyl exposure. However, she never reported the danger to the police and continued operating the daycare, putting other children at risk.
Federal prosecutors condemned Mendez’s actions, emphasizing that she was not just involved in drug trafficking but was directly responsible for putting young children in harm’s way. Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky stated that Mendez allowed babies as young as eight months old to be exposed to deadly fentanyl, which ultimately led to the death of Nicholas and the poisoning of other children.
Nicholas’ mother, Zoila Dominici, expressed her heartbreak, calling the experience every mother’s worst nightmare. She said that even hearing the word “fentanyl” now sends chills down her spine, but she remains determined to move forward for the sake of her other children. Authorities assured that they will continue working to bring justice to those who endanger children in the drug trade.
