Photo by David Greene
Following their arrests in The Bronx on murder, attempted murder, and other serious charges, Grei Mendez, the owner/caretaker of a Kingsbridge Heights based daycare center where, as reported, one-year-old Nicholas Dominici lost his life on Friday, Sept. 15, and Carlisto Acevedo Brito, her accomplice, were also hit with further federal drug trafficking charges in Manhattan federal court on Tuesday, Sept. 19.
Federal prosecutors said the defendants stored distribution quantities of fentanyl and narcotics packaging equipment in the daycare, Including a kilogram of fentanyl on top of the children’s playmats. As reported, Acevedo Brito, 41, of 2705 Morris Avenue in The Bronx and Mendez, 36, caretaker of the daycare center, also of 2705 Morris Avenue, The Bronx, were arrested on Saturday, Sept. 16, at around 8 p.m. and were indicted on murder, attempted murder, and other charges.
Damian Williams, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, Lisa O. Monaco, deputy attorney general of the United States, Frank A. Tarentino III, the special agent in charge of the New York Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), and Edward A. Caban, police commissioner of the NYPD made the announcement regarding the additional federal charges in connection with the incident on Tuesday, as part of a criminal complaint filed in Manhattan federal court.
Image courtesy of U.S. Attorneys for the Southern District of New York
Both were charged with narcotics possession with intent to distribute resulting in death, and conspiracy to distribute narcotics resulting in death in connection with the poisoning of four children under the age of three, including one-year-old Nicholas who later died, at Divino Niño Daycare Center at 2707 Morris Avenue in the Kingsbridge Heights section of The Bronx. The defendants were both in custody on Tuesday and were due to be presented that day before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jennifer E. Willis.
Williams said of the case, “Parents entrusted Grei Mendez with the care of their children. As alleged, instead of diligently safeguarding the well-being of those children, she and her co-conspirators put them directly in harm’s way, running a narcotics operation and storing deadly fentanyl out of the very space in which the children ate, slept, and played. The disregard shown by Mendez and her co-conspirators for the lives of the children under her care is simply staggering.”
Photo by David Greene
Monaco echoed his thoughts, saying, “The charges announced today are the tragic result of fentanyl poisoning more innocent Americans, this time young children. The Department of Justice will continue to hold accountable anyone who plays a part in the supply-and-delivery chain that is flooding fentanyl into our communities. We will not rest in our efforts to protect the vulnerable.”
Meanwhile, Tarentino III said, “Tragedy doesn’t begin to describe the events that took place at Divino Niño Daycare. This death and drug poisonings are every parent’s worst nightmare and clearly define the danger fentanyl poses to every New Yorker. Fentanyl kills indiscriminately, and the defendants’ callous and irresponsible disregard to safety led to two of the most heinous acts imaginable, causing the death of a child and poisoning three other children. These crimes are unacceptable. I commend the work of the investigators from the DEA and NYPD and our partners at the Southern District of New York who work tirelessly every single day to stop drug poisonings from taking too many lives too soon.”
Image courtesy of U.S. Attorneys for the Southern District of New York
The police commissioner, meanwhile, said, “This case reflects every parent’s worst nightmare. These alleged drug traffickers brazenly went about their illicit business in one of the most ill-conceived locations imaginable, but they will be held accountable. I thank the dedicated investigators of the NYPD and the DEA, and everyone involved at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and the Bronx District Attorney’s Office, for their efforts to secure justice for the most vulnerable New Yorkers among us – our children.”
As alleged in the complaint, from at least in or about July 2023 through at least in or about September 2023, Mendez and Acevedo Brito and others conspired to distribute fentanyl, including at Divino Niño Daycare Center. There, despite the daily presence of young children, the defendants maintained large quantities of fentanyl, including a kilogram of fentanyl stored on top of children’s playmats, as also reported by Norwood News on Monday, Sept. 18.
In addition, as also alleged in the complaint, the defendants maintained in the daycare items purpose-built for the distribution of large quantities of narcotics, including three so-called “kilo presses,” which are designed for the recompression of drugs in powder form commonly used by narcotics traffickers at “mills” or other locations where narcotic drugs are broken down, combined with fillers, and portioned for sale. The narcotics and one of the kilo presses recovered are pictured in this story.
Still courtesy of the NYPD
Federal prosecutors said, as reported, as a consequence of the defendants’ drug conspiracy, on or about Sept. 15, at the daycare center, four children, who were all under three years of age, appear to have experienced the effects of poisoning from exposure to fentanyl.
Federal prosecutors said prior to the arrival of emergency personnel at the daycare on that date, Mendez, in concert with an unnamed co-conspirator (“CC-1”) removed evidence from the daycare. In particular, immediately before she called 911 to summon medical assistance for the children, she called CC-1. CC-1 then arrived at the daycare, stayed for approximately two minutes, and then exited out a back alleyway carrying two full shopping bags, all while the children were unresponsive and awaiting medical assistance. Three of the children were hospitalized with serious injuries, but have since been reported to be doing “fine,” after they were administered with Narcan by EMS personnel.
Photo by Síle Moloney
As reported, NYPD officials previously confirmed that Arcevdo Brito lived in a bedroom located within the daycare and is a cousin of CC-1. He had not been declared a resident of the daycare (which is also an apartment) when Mendez applied for the daycare license to health officials. Federal prosecutors said one of the kilo presses found at the daycare was located in the closet inside Brito’s bedroom. Additionally, a search of Acevedo Brito’s phone revealed numerous messages suggestive of his involvement in narcotics trafficking, federal prosecutors said.
Mendez and Acevedo Brito are each charged in count one with conspiracy to distribute narcotics resulting in death, and in count two with narcotics distribution resulting in death. Both count one and count two carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison.
The statutory minimum and maximum sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
Video by Síle Moloney
Williams praised what he said was the outstanding investigative work of the DEA, the NYPD, the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (“OCDETF”) New York Strike Force, the SDNY Digital Forensic Unit, and the complex analytical and social media enhancement team at the New York/New Jersey High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area. He also thanked the Bronx County District Attorney’s Office for its coordination on this case.
This case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandon C. Thompson and Maggie Lynaugh are in charge of the prosecution. A person arrested and charged with a crime is deemed innocent unless and until convicted in a court of law. The charges contained in the referenced complaints are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Photo by David Greene
New York City Mayor Eric Adams said during a press conference on Monday, “What are we doing? What are we doing as a society to our children? This was probably one of the worst days I’ve had of going up to The Bronx, sitting down with those parents, losing their babies like this. They dropped their babies off to a daycare center hoping that their children would be protected by the caregivers, and then speaking with the father yesterday, like, ‘What do you say? What do you say?'”
Photo by Síle Moloney
Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson said in part of the tragedy, “The recent string of violent incidents we have seen this past week has been heartbreaking and I am devastated by the loss of so many innocent lives. I am asking the public to keep these families in your prayers at this time.”
She added in part, “We must acknowledge the tragic death of a 1-year-old baby while at daycare. As a Borough and City, we cannot accept this violence as normal. We are better than this and must continue to demand better and invest in our communities. Peace is a lifestyle that we all must work towards achieving. The work continues.”
Meanwhile State Sen. Gustavo Rivera (S.D. 33) said, “I am horrified by the heartbreaking loss of a one-year-old child in the Kingsbridge Heights neighborhood of my district and that multiple children required Narcan administration. I am deeply saddened for the parents and families, and I cannot fathom the pain they are experiencing.
He added, “No parent should live in fear that their child might come into contact with harmful substances while under the care of a childcare facility. I want to express my appreciation to the emergency responders and law enforcement for their prompt response to this tragic incident. The individuals responsible for this negligent and horrific incident must be held fully accountable.
Rivera concluded, “We are witnessing a devastating rise nationally in cases where minors and young children inadvertently come into contact with opioids, leading to overdoses. We must act to protect families and rapidly implement an evidence-based comprehensive public health approach focused on providing resources to prevent tragedies like this from occurring and supporting those being affected by the opioid crisis. My office is in touch with our city and state partners to ensure that this incident continues to be addressed thoroughly.”
District 14 City Councilwoman Pierina Sanchez said of the tragedy, “My heart and prayers are with the family of Nicholas Dominici, a 1 year old baby who we lost following exposure to opioids at a daycare center in our neighborhood, as well as three children who are still recovering. This is a devastating time in Kingsbridge. These children should have been safe at this day care facility. Their parents did everything right, yet government warning systems failed and the ongoing scourge of the opioid epidemic robbed us of a beautiful young life.”
She added, “This is any parent’s worst nightmare. We are doing all we can to support our families during this tragic time, while closely following the investigation into the depraved acts that led to this tragedy, and interrogating the gaps in government policies that allowed warning signs to go unnoticed by government inspectors. The family of Nicholas has requested privacy during these difficult times, and I hope the media and public will allow them space.”
Read our previous stories for more reaction from elected officials to the tragedy here, here, and here.
Read our previous stories on Narcan kit training here and here.
NYC Department of Health & Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) provides training and regularly updated information on how to obtain and administer naloxone (Narcan). Click here for more information.
*David Greene contributed to this story.
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Welcome to the Norwood News, a bi-weekly community newspaper that primarily serves the northwest Bronx communities of Norwood, Bedford Park, Fordham and University Heights. Through our Breaking Bronx blog, we focus on news and information for those neighborhoods, but aim to cover as much Bronx-related news as possible. Founded in 1988 by Mosholu Preservation Corporation, a not-for-profit affiliate of Montefiore Medical Center, the Norwood News began as a monthly and grew to a bi-weekly in 1994. In September 2003 the paper expanded to cover University Heights and now covers all the neighborhoods of Community District 7. The Norwood News exists to foster communication among citizens and organizations and to be a tool for neighborhood development efforts. The Norwood News runs the Bronx Youth Journalism Heard, a journalism training program for Bronx high school students. As you navigate this website, please let us know if you discover any glitches or if you have any suggestions. We’d love to hear from you. You can send e-mails to norwoodnews@norwoodnews.org or call us anytime (718) 324-4998.
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