Bronx Day Care Owner Sentenced to 45 Years for Toddler's Fentanyl Death

Grei Mendez, who operated a daycare doubling as a drug mill, was convicted after a 1-year-old's fatal fentanyl poisoning and three other children were hospitalized.

Grei Mendez, 37, pleaded guilty to federal drug charges after fentanyl hidden in her Bronx daycare caused the death of 22-month-old Nicholas Feliz-Dominici in September 2023.
Investigators found over 11 kilograms of fentanyl and heroin concealed beneath floor tiles and in other hidden compartments within the daycare facility.
Mendez failed to administer Narcan to the children or inform first responders about the opioid exposure, which contributed to Nicholas's death and the hospitalization of three other toddlers.
The court emphasized Mendez's role in prioritizing her drug operation over the safety of the children, with the judge sentencing her to 45 years, matching her husband Felix Herrera Garcia’s prior sentence.
The case has prompted increased scrutiny of daycare inspections in the Bronx and legislative efforts to tighten regulations on childcare providers.