Grei Mendez, former owner of Divino Niño daycare in the Bronx, has been sentenced to 45 years in prison following the fentanyl poisoning death of 22-month-old Nicholas Feliz-Dominici.
In September 2023, authorities discovered over 11 kilograms of fentanyl and heroin hidden beneath the daycare’s floor tiles. Four children, all under three years old, were exposed to the drugs; Nicholas succumbed to the poisoning, while three others survived after receiving Narcan.
Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Matthew Podolsky, said the following in a statement Monday following the verdict:
“Grei Mendez operated a daycare out of a basement apartment in the Bronx in which large quantities of deadly fentanyl were mixed, packaged, and stored. She put babies as young as eight months old directly in harm’s way as they slept, played, and ate in a room where over 11 kilograms of fentanyl was hidden underneath their feet, leading to the death of one child and the poisoning of others. No punishment can make up for a child lost, but today’s sentence sends the message that this Office and our law enforcement partners will work tirelessly to bring to justice anyone who uses children as a shield in the drug trade.“
Mendez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute narcotics resulting in death. During sentencing, she apologized, stating through an interpreter, “I do want all to know it was an accident. I am very sorry. I hope that someday I may be forgiven.”
The victim’s mother, Zoila Dominici, expressed her anguish in court, declaring, “It is not possible to forgive something like this. Forty-five years is not enough…I do not forgive you. Let God forgive you.”
Investigations revealed that Mendez ignored clear signs of the children’s distress and attempted to cover up the crime by misleading law enforcement and destroying evidence.
Mendez’s husband, Felix Herrera-Garcia, also received a 45-year sentence for his involvement in the drug operation.
