THE BRONX, N.Y. (PIX11) — NewsNation affiliate WPIX looked inside the Bronx day care-turned alleged-drug-den and spotted cribs, toys and even the nap mats where the babies laid down to sleep and fell unconscious last week.
“The family cried because in the hospital, he couldn’t wake up,” said Sadie Lino, an aunt of one of the toddlers.
Lino told WPIX that her 2-year-old nephew is now home after being poisoned by fentanyl inside the Morris Avenue day care.
“He is OK, he home, he plays, he’s a good boy. He’s doing good,” Lino said.
Tragically, 1-year-old Nicholas Dominici never woke up and died. According to their mother, two other siblings — 8 months and 2 years old — were still hospitalized Tuesday and recovering.
“The defendants poisoned four babies and killed one because they were running a drug operation from a day care,” U.S. District Attorney Damian Williams said during a news conference Tuesday.
Five days after the deadly exposure at Divino Nino, federal prosecutors charged day care owner Grei Mendez and her husband’s cousin, Carlecito Brito.
“This is probably mid- to high-level trafficking in terms of quantity,” said Frank Tarentino of the DEA.
In court documents, it’s alleged Mendez called her husband twice to alert him to the emergency before calling 911.
It’s alleged minutes later, he arrived home and was seen on camera removing possible evidence from the day care and going on the run.
Mendez denied to detectives she knew anything.
“All of that happened while the babies were suffering and in desperate need for help,” said Williams.