BRONX, NY – The Bronx District Attorney, Darcel D. Clark, disclosed today that a daycare operator, her spouse, and his relative have been formally charged with second-degree Murder, Assault, and various other offenses. The trio is accused of exposing four infants to fentanyl kept within the daycare premises, leading to the tragic death of 22-month-old Nicholas Dominici.
District Attorney Clark remarked on the devastating incident, expressing profound grief for the untimely death of a toddler and the serious harm done to three other children, all aged between eight months to two years, as a result of fentanyl poisoning. She termed the incident as not just distressing but also outrageous, as these young children inadvertently became victims while shielding a covert narcotics operation.
The charged individuals, identified as Grei Mendez, 36, Felix Herrera Garcia, 34, both residents of 2705 Morris Avenue, Bronx, and Carlisto Brito, 41, residing at 2707 Morris Avenue, faced the arraignment process today in front of Bronx Supreme Court Justice Margaret Clancy. The charges levied against them include second-degree Murder, first-degree Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance, second-degree Manslaughter, multiple counts of Assault, and Endangering the Welfare of a Child. All defendants are presently in custody and will reappear in court on November 27, 2023.
The inquiry revealed that on September 15, 2023, around 2:43 p.m., four children were exposed to fentanyl at the licensed daycare located at 2707 Morris Avenue. This exposure resulted in Nicholas Dominici’s tragic passing and severe opioid intoxication to three other children, necessitating medical treatment. Emergency services administered Narcan to counteract the opioid effects on two of the children, but, unfortunately, Nicholas could not be saved.
Further investigation uncovered a significant amount of narcotics in the daycare: a kilogram of fentanyl was found in a closet, and an additional six kilograms of fentanyl, heroin, and other controlled substances were concealed beneath a trap door, under a padded mat where children rested. Drug processing tools and paraphernalia were also discovered within the premises.