Bronx daycare owner gets 45 yrs for fentanyl death: What is the case?

On Sept 15, 2023, 22-month-old Feliz-Dominici died after ingesting fentanyl at the daycare. Three other children, who were also exposed, survived after receiving treatment with a reversal drug

The owner of a New York City day care center, where a toddler died after ingesting fentanyl, has been sentenced to 45 years in prison after pleading guilty to federal drug charges.

 

According to news agency Associated Press, Judge Jed S Rakoff announced that Grei Mendez (37) has been sentenced to 45 years in prison following the death of 22-month-old Nicholas Feliz-Dominici, who passed away in September 2023.  

 

Judge Rakoff had previously imposed the same sentence on Mendez’s husband, Felix Herrera-Garcia, after he admitted to drug-related charges and causing bodily harm in connection with the child’s death. Both Mendez and Herrera-Garcia faced a mandatory minimum of 20 years in prison, with a maximum sentence of life.  

 

 

Mendez pleaded guilty to multiple drug-related offenses, including conspiracy to distribute narcotics resulting in death.  

 

Before her sentence was handed down, Grei Mendez addressed the families of children who had attended the Divino Niño day care, which operated out of a Bronx apartment where drugs were stored and packaged. “I do want all to know it was an accident,” she said through an interpreter. “I am very sorry. I hope that someday I may be forgiven.”  

 

On September 15, 2023, after ingesting fentanyl at the day care, Feliz-Dominici was rushed to a hospital, where he died. Three other children exposed to the drug survived after receiving Narcan, a medication used to reverse opioid overdoses.  

 

Investigators discovered a brick of fentanyl placed atop children’s playmats, along with drug-packaging equipment and additional fentanyl hidden beneath a trap door in a play area.  

 

During the sentencing, Feliz-Dominici’s mother said she could not forgive Mendez, while his father expressed the enduring pain of their loss, stating: “We’re living, but we’re not alive.”  

Judge criticises Mendez’s reckless negligence

Judge Rakoff reflected on his own past, recalling the emotions he experienced when his older brother “was murdered in cold blood”. However, he said that “the glory of the law is not to ignore emotions but to put them in broader perspective”. He remarked that Mendez prioritised her husband and her own children over the well-being of the families who entrusted her with their children’s care.   

In a pre-sentencing filing, Mendez’s defence team presented evidence of childhood trauma. Prosecutors, however, pushed for a severe sentence, arguing that she disregarded “clear warning signs” when children began showing signs of distress and failed to seek medical help.  

 

“And after tragedy struck, she lied to law enforcement and destroyed evidence in an effort to protect herself and her co-conspirators from their culpability in the death of one baby and poisoning of three others,” prosecutors said.

 

Acting US Attorney Matthew Podolsky, in a statement, condemned Mendez’s actions, stating that she put infants as young as eight months old “in harm’s way as they slept, played and ate in a room where over 11 kg of fentanyl was hidden underneath their feet”. 

 

Fentanyl: A potent synthetic opioid

Fentanyl, a highly potent synthetic opioid, has been at the centre of growing concern due to its extreme potency and potential for fatal overdoses. It is primarily used as a pain medication, often prescribed to patients with severe pain, such as those undergoing surgery or suffering from cancer. However, its potency, which is estimated to be 50 to 100 times greater than morphine and 30 to 50 times greater than heroin, makes it a dangerous substance if not handled properly.

 

What is fentanyl?

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid analgesic that works by binding to opioid receptors in the brain, providing pain relief and sedation. It is available in various forms, including patches, lozenges, and injectables. Despite its medical uses, fentanyl has become notorious for its role in the opioid crisis, often being mixed with other drugs or sold as counterfeit pills, leading to accidental overdoses.

 

Fatal risks of fentanyl

The potency of fentanyl makes it extremely dangerous, especially when ingested in small quantities. Overdose symptoms include respiratory depression, which can lead to respiratory arrest and death if not treated promptly with naloxone. The risk is particularly high for individuals who are unaware that a substance contains fentanyl, as they may underestimate the dose and inadvertently overdose.

 

Fentanyl’s effects on children

Infants and children are especially vulnerable to fentanyl’s lethal effects. Even the smallest adult dose can be fatal to a child due to their smaller body size and developing physiology. Accidental ingestion can occur through various means, such as touching or ingesting fentanyl patches, which can cause severe respiratory depression and death.

 

Symptoms of fentanyl exposure in children:

-Respiratory issues: Slowed or stopped breathing

-Loss of consciousness: Drowsiness or complete loss of consciousness

-Miotic pupils: Constricted pupils

-Bradypnea: Slow breathing rate

 

[With agency inputs]