Three charged with murder in toddler fentanyl death at nursery
Nicholas's dad, Otoniel Feliz, was present when the charges, which include murder and manslaughter, were announced.
Three people have been charged with murder after a toddler died of suspected fentanyl poisoning at a New York day care.
Nicholas Dominici, one, died last month after he and three other young children fell ill at the Divino Niño nursery, where he had enrolled just days before.
The centre's operator Grei Mendez, 36, her husband, Felix Herrera Garcia, 34, and her husband's cousin Carlisto Brito, 41, were charged on Thursday and held by police without bail.
Nicholas's dad, Otoniel Feliz, was present when the charges, which include murder and manslaughter, were announced.
He said he had hoped to have a photo of his son’s kindergarten graduation four years from now.
“But sadly what I have is a reminder of his death,” Feliz said, weeping as he held up a photo of his son.
“We feel betrayed by that day care,” he said, "because they would send us photos, would send us text messages with everything that happened throughout the day. We trusted them because we saw it was a place that would keep us informed.”
Feliz thanked those working on the case, but said, “Everything that is done will not bring my son back.”
Police said a kilogram of fentanyl was found in a wardrobe in the nursery and six kilograms of fentanyl, heroin and other controlled substances were found under a trap door in the floor beneath a padded mat where children napped.
Mendez and Brito were arrested after Dominici and three other children under Mendez's care showed signs of opioid exposure.
Garcia, who authorities say fled to Mexico, was arrested there and then extradited to New York.
“This is a catastrophe,” Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark said.
“Our sorrow is matched only by the outrage because these babies were used as shields to protect a narcotics operation.”
Clark said the children “are my children, they’re our children and it’s our responsibility to make sure we do all that we can to keep them safe and to protect them.”
Andres Aranda, an attorney for Mendez, said his client knew nothing of any fentanyl operation. “She is not guilty,” he said.
The defendants and a fourth person also face federal narcotics charges.
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