Karen Gonzalez-Martin

NEWSLETTER

September 21, XX23

NYC day care owner, neighbor face federal charges after 1-year-old dies from fentanyl exposure: prosecutors

NEW YORK CITY

NYC day care owner, neighbor face federal charges after 1-year-old dies from fentanyl exposure: prosecutors

NYPD says ‘kilogram of fentanyl’ was found in napping area of Bronx day care

The owner of a New York City day care center, where police say multiple children were found with "fentanyl in their systems" last week, resulting in the death of a 1-year-old child, is now facing federal charges. 

A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York told Fox News Digital on Tuesday that Grei Mendez De Ventura – the 36-year-old owner of the Divino Nino day care in the Bronx borough – and neighbor Carlisto Acevedo Brito, 41, are each being charged with conspiracy to distribute narcotics resulting in death and narcotics distribution resulting in death. 

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said Tuesday that the case has "shocked the conscience of a city already reeling from the devastating effects of the fentanyl epidemic."

"It's inexcusable, and it's the reason that they're now in federal custody, facing federal charges that carry a maximum sentence of life in prison and a minimum sentence of 20 years in prison," he said.

NYC DAY CARE OWNER, NEIGHBOR CHARGED IN DEATH OF 1-YEAR-OLD (https://www.foxnews.com/us/nyc-day-care-owner-neighbor-charged-death-1-year-old-after-possible-fentanyl-exposure)

One child is dead and three others were hospitalized after an opioid exposure at a Bronx day care center on Friday afternoon, police say.

"The defendants poisoned four babies and killed one of them because they were running a drug operation from a daycare center -- a place where children should be kept safe, not surrounded by a drug that could kill them in an instant," Williams added, noting that investigators are still looking for Ventura's husband.

"As alleged in the complaint, before emergency personnel arrived at the daycare. Before they arrived, Mendez and a co-conspirator tried to cover up what happened. Seconds before Mendez called 911, she called a co-conspirator. Minutes later, a co-conspirator arrived at the daycare," he also said. "Minutes later, he left the daycare and fled out the back alley, carrying two full shopping bags and all of that happened while the children, the babies were suffering from the effects of fentanyl poisoning and in desperate need of help."

NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said during a press conference Monday night that "The daycare center there, we discovered a kilogram of fentanyl in an area that was used to give the children naps. It was laid underneath a mat where the children had been sleeping earlier."

"Additionally, we found three kilo presses. This device is commonly used by drug dealers when packaging large quantities of illegal narcotics," Kenny said.

Both Ventura and Brito were arrested on Saturday on 11 state charges, including depraved-indifference murder, assault and child endangerment, after one child died and three others were hospitalized the day before.

The 1-year-old boy, Nicholas Dominici, died on Friday and three other children – two 2-year-old boys and an 8-month-old girl – were found unresponsive in the basement of the day care.

Records show that the day care passed a surprise annual inspection on Sept. 6.

"They seemed to be demonstrating an exposure to an opioid," Kenny said. "Quick thinking FDNY, EMS personnel administered Narcan to these three children and removed them to Montefiore Hospital. Unfortunately, the 1-year-old did not survive and died at the hospital." 

"Medical testing came back on all three children. All three children had fentanyl in their systems," he added. 

ARIZONA TROOPERS RECOVER $1.3 MILLION WORTH OF FENTANYL, METH IN DRUG BUST 

"NYPD detectives later learned that an additional child, only 2 years old, had been removed from the same location at 12:15 that afternoon by his mother. This child also began to exhibit symptoms of opioid exposure," Kenny also said. "The child was brought to the Bronx Lebanon Hospital, where hospital staff quickly administered Narcan, saving that child's life." 

NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban called the incident "truly unimaginable.

The owner of the New York City day care center where a 1-year-old boy died following possible exposure to fentanyl was charged with murder. 

"It's a nightmare that these families will never wake up from. But believe me, the NYPD will never rest in our pursuit of anyone who puts our children in harm's way. The dangers of fentanyl cannot be overstated," he said. "This poison is extremely deadly. And if you traffic in it, you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. No parent should ever have to go through something like this." 

Fox News’ Landon Mion contributed to this report.

 

"The First Love Story"  (Pilot)!

This read follows the story of 2 love birds that risk everything to stay together.

[Music]

Long ago, before people walked the Earth in a lush green forest there lived a small blue bird, who for many years could not find a purpose in life. He believed that breathing, eating, and living was all pointless. Nothing was ever exciting or fun, nothing ever changed and every day was the same as the day before. Until one day while the bluebird was resting on a tree branch he fell down. Down down went the bluebird but once he realized he was falling instead of trying to fly he accepted his fate. What was the point?, he thought and he did nothing until he hit the ground. There the bluebird lay on the forest floor, he couldn't get up, nor did he want to. The bluebird thought this was the end and he welcomed it, but as the bluebird was closing his eyes he saw a beautiful pink bird flying down from the Treetops with feathers that lit up in the sunlight. As the bluebird fell asleep, pretty pink bird dragged him to a nearby burrow. There the Pink Bird nurtured the bluebird bringing him berries to eat during the day and cuddling him at night to keep him warm. And every day she sang elegant songs to him hoping that the bluebird would wake up and one day he did, and as Bluebird awoke he started to sing along as well and together they sang the most beautiful songs. Soon after that the two became best friends and did everything together. They flew through the trees and played in the water and built their home together and the bluebird was finally happy and it's all because he was saved by a beautiful, beautiful pink bird. However soon came the fire god whose goal was to maintain balance in the world. According to him there could be no life without destruction and so the god set fire to the forest. Thus destroying all the plants and animals needed for New life to sprout from their ashes, surrounded by the burning Forest the two birds woke from their sleep and witnessed the chaos and destruction leaving their home. The couple flew away trying to escape the forest however while flying the pinkbird was struck by a branch, and was knocked down the bluebird heard the cries of the Pink Bird and rushed to catch her as she fell but he was too late and the two birds fell to the floor surrounded by the fire that reached on. The bluebird clutched the Pinkbird close as they waited for fate to take them. The god of fire witnessed the scene and descended down on the two birds, he then picked them both up in his hands and he asked the bluebird tiny creature you have the capacity to fly from this hopeless Forest yet you refuse to flee explain. ‘I don't want to flee because this is my home’, said the bluebird. Your home is gone creature leave while you can. No my home is not gone my home is with my pink bird and I wish only to go where she is replied the tiny bluebird. But you will die here creature you will forfeit your life with this bird friend of yours, do you not value your own life? ‘Oh God a fire… without pink bird there would be no purpose for my life. I wish for us to be together forever and forever and even after forever. I want us to live in our home and have a family where we will all be together and none of us will ever feel alone. I wish to do all these things and more with pink bird, nothing else in this world is more important to me, and if we cannot be together in this life then I will find her again in the next.’ Tiny creature your words have touched me. There is no other creature on this Earth quite like you two. This bond that you share is one that I wish all living creatures will be able to experience in their lives. I've tried to preserve Life by destroying it and reincarnating the souls in their hopes that you creatures would be reborn stronger, however you have shown me that by creating bonds with each other even the tiniest of creatures can be strong. For your bravery I shall grant you your wish of being one with your friend forevermore. And so the fire god raised the birds up to the sky and from his hand came two bursts of flames engulfing the birds as they shot up to the sky. In every light that you live your soul shall be together, and through this Bond I hope that you may spread the feeling of belonging and purpose to all living creatures of this world. I have granted you both the power of eternal flame and now your two Souls will be linked for all eternity. All I ask from you is that you spread the warmth that you possess and share it with the world so that all may experience what I have witnessed today. And I hope one day the burning passion that you have for one another shall burn bright in every living soul. So go forth fly and spread love to every corner of this world. [Music] So the couple went off and traveled far and wide to spread the gift of Eternal love to all living things and since then they have lived countless lives together and in love, maintaining the essence of fire that they obtained all those years ago. They have been witnesses to countless tragedies and hardships, however their love for each other has never faded and these two little birds will continue to love each other forever and forever and after forever.

The End [Music]