Day Care Owner Sentenced to 45 Years for Fentanyl Death of 1-Year-Old
As Bronx personal injury lawyers, we have seen many tragic cases of negligence and recklessness, but few are as shocking as the case of Divino Niño day care. What should have been a safe space for infants turned out to be a front for a narcotics operation, with fatal consequences. This case underscores the severe risks posed by illicit drug activity in environments where children are supposed to be protected.
On Monday, Grei Mendez, the owner of Divino Niño, was sentenced to 45 years in federal prison for her role in a fentanyl trafficking operation that resulted in the death of a 22-month-old child, Nicholas Feliz Dominici, and the poisoning of three other toddlers. Mendez had pleaded guilty to possessing and conspiring to distribute narcotics resulting in serious injury and death. Prosecutors argued that she prioritized protecting herself and her co-conspirators over the lives of the children in her care, even attempting to delete incriminating evidence while being questioned by police.