The daycare was later searched and fentanyl was found.

Two people have been charged for murder in the death of Nicholas Dominici, a 1-year-old boy who died after he was exposed to fentanyl while at his daycare.

Grei Mendez and Carlisto Acevedo Brio were both arrested and charged on Saturday with murder, endangering a child's welfare, criminal possession and assault. Mendez operated Divino Nino from an apartment in the Bronx, where Brito -- who is reportedly the husband of Mendez’s cousin -- had rented a bedroom.

After receiving a 911 report about three unconscious children in the Divino Nino establishment, medical units were sent to the facility on Friday. When officials arrived at the scene, they found that all three children were "unresponsive", and exhibited "symptoms of opioid exposure". They were then administered Narcan. Two children, an 8-month-old girl and a 2 year-old boy, survived. Dominici died in the hospital.

Dominici's mom only found out what had happened when she went to pick her son up and saw the police in the building. She then received a phone call telling her that Dominici was at the hospital. The child's parents claim that he only began going to Divino Nno one week before his death. He would have been 2 years old in November. No official cause of death was determined.

Watch live as @NYCMayor, @NYCPC, & other city executives provide an update on an investigation in the Bronx 09-16-2023 https://t.co/BCTm612BPA

NYPD NEWS September 16, 2023

Police reported that another child was "removed" earlier in the morning from the daycare centre.

Joseph Kenny said that the mother of the child noticed her son was unresponsive and lethargic at home. He was also taken to hospital with Narcan, "and his life saved."

Kenny said that drug dealers often use kilo presses to package large amounts of drugs. According to a report submitted in court by the New York Times two other kilo press were found, along with 1 kilo fentanyl, inside a daycare closet.

The report indicated that a sample of urine taken from an 8-month old girl contained traces fentanyl. Firefighters said, however, they had found no carbon monoxide traces or other "environmental toxicants" in the business.

Mendez's attorney said that his client did not know how her children were exposed to fentanyl. He pointed out that she had called 9-1-1 and then asked, "Why would anyone who knew they had fentanyl at home call the police?"

It's a tragic event for the kids. It's a tragic event for her, because I don’t think she was involved in the incident. So it's bad for everyone," said the attorney via CBS. "She didn't even know." She rented out a room and didn't even know what was happening.

The NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Commissioner said at a press event on Friday that the daycare began operating in January. Divino Nino was inspected twice before opening, and a third time on the 9th of September. Commissioner Ashwin Vasan confirmed that Divino Nno had passed both inspections. No violations were discovered during any of these visits.

"It's hard for me to open the door when I get home and not hear Nicholas say, "Dad, dad." It's too hard. "We can't", Nicholas Dominici's dad, Otoniel Felix, told CBS New York. "Because of the irresponsibility and ignorance of people who don't understand, they didn't realize that leaving drugs where children can access them was dangerous."

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Title: 2 Charged with Murder After 1-Year-Old Dies from Suspected Opioid Exposure at Daycare
Sourced From: www.toofab.com/2023/09/18/nicholas-dominici-daycare-death/
Published Date: Mon, 18 Sep 2023 19:38:26 +0000

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