Police in New York City found more drugs at a daycare center. They think the daycare was pretending to be a regular center, but was really smuggling drugs.
Investigators found a stash of a very dangerous drug called fentanyl hidden under a secret door at a daycare center in the Bronx. A young child died after being exposed to the drug last week.
Emergency personnel quickly went to Divino Nino Daycare on Friday, September 15th when three young children were said to be unconscious.
Paramedics quickly realized that they had taken too much opioids and gave themselves Narcan to counteract the effects. Two kids, a one-year-old boy and an eight-month-old girl, managed to survive a terrible experience.
Nicholas Feliz-Dominici, who was 1 year old, passed away while being taken to the hospital.
Later, after his mom picked him up, another child from the daycare got sick and had to go to the hospital with the same problems.
During a search of Divino Nino daycare, officials found one kilogram of fentanyl hidden under play mats in a room where the children sleep. They also discovered two kilo presses, which are believed to be used for packing a lot of drugs.
The daycare’s owner, Grei Mendez, was taken into custody on Saturday and accused of committing very serious crimes: murder, manslaughter, assault, drug possession, and endangering the lives of children.
Carlisto Acevedo Brito, who is related to Mendez through marriage and was staying in a room she rented, has also been arrested and is being charged with the same crimes. Investigators found one of the machines used to pack drugs in his room.
Mendez’s spouse, who was last seen walking away from the area with bags in their hands just before emergency personnel came, is still running away from investigators.
Investigators returned to Divino Nino on Thursday and found a secret door hiding a small space under a playroom. The space was about four feet by six feet in size.
The New York Police Department (NYPD) found a lot of the drug fentanyl, along with other drugs and things used for taking drugs, hidden under the floor in the play area at the daycare center.
Over 5 kilograms of drugs were discovered in the hidden area under the floor.
Mendez and Brito were accused of serious drug crimes on Tuesday, involving having drugs with the intention to sell them.
NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban described the incident as something that would frighten any parent.
“He said that these suspected drug traffickers shamelessly conducted their illegal operations in a very poorly thought out place, but they will face consequences for their actions. ”
A group of people in the Bronx accused Mendez and Brito of more crimes and presented the charges in a secret legal document on Thursday.
“I may not be their biological mother, and I may not have been the one who sent them to that day care center, but every person in this county shares the same emotions and trust that the day care center would take care of their children,” stated Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark during a press conference where new charges were announced.
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