A Bronx daycare owner, Grei Mendez, has been sentenced to 45 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to drug charges stemming from the fentanyl-related death of a toddler in her care.
The case, which shocked New York City, underscores the severe legal consequences of drug-related offenses in childcare settings.
Mendez, 37, who operated the Divino Niño daycare in The Bronx, broke down in tears as U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff delivered the sentence. The courtroom was filled with emotional reactions from both Mendez’s family and the grieving parents of 22-month-old Nicholas Feliz-Dominici, who died from fentanyl poisoning on September 15, 2023.
Mendez’s husband, Felix Herrera-Garcia, had previously received the same 45-year sentence after admitting guilt to drug distribution and bodily harm charges. Both faced a mandatory minimum of 20 years and up to life in prison.
Through an interpreter, Mendez expressed remorse, calling the child’s death an accident and pleading for forgiveness. However, prosecutors argued that she ignored clear signs of distress among the children and delayed calling emergency services.
Instead of immediately seeking medical help, she contacted her husband, allegedly allowing time for drugs to be removed from the daycare before calling 911.
Investigators later discovered a shocking amount of fentanyl inside the daycare. A brick of the deadly opioid was found on playmats, along with packaging equipment and additional stashes concealed beneath a trapdoor in the play area.
Prosecutors asserted that Mendez prioritized financial gain and her family’s involvement in drug trafficking over the safety of the children entrusted to her care.
At the sentencing hearing, Nicholas’s parents spoke about their unimaginable grief. His father stated:
“We’re living, but we’re not alive.”
Judge Rakoff, reflecting on his own experiences with loss, acknowledged the emotional weight of the case but stressed the necessity of upholding the law to deliver justice.
Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky condemned Mendez’s actions, stressing the grave risk she created for vulnerable children in a space meant for care and safety.
Three other children exposed to fentanyl at the daycare survived after receiving Narcan, but the tragic loss of Feliz-Dominici will remain a lasting reminder of the deadly opioid crisis and its far-reaching consequences.
