The father of Nicholas Feliz-Dominici, the one-year-old who was killed by a fentanyl overdose, spoke out as a grand jury indicted three people for his son’s murder.
Last month, four children were hospitalized after being exposed to fentanyl at a daycare in New York City.
Three children, an 8-month-old girl and two 2-year-old boys, were revived by paramedics after they administered Narcan.
But help came too late for 22-month-old Nicholas Dominici, who died from an overdose before he arrived at the hospital.
A subsequent investigation revealed fentanyl was hidden at the daycare in a room the children used to take naps. About six kilograms of fentanyl and heroin were also found underneath children’s playmats and within trap doors built into the daycare’s floorboards.
‘A grand jury has indicted the operators of the Divino Nino Daycare, her husband, and his cousin for murder under circumstances evincing a depraved indifference to human life, because that is what they had,’ Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark said at a press conference on Thursday.
Grei Mendez, 34, her husband Felix Herrera Garcia, 36, and his cousin Carlisto Brito, 41, were charged with second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter for the incident.
‘This is a catastrophe,’ Clark said. ‘Our sorrow is matched only by outrage because these babies were shields to protect a narcotics operation. Nicholas’ death was entirely – excruciatingly – needless and avoidable.’
Mendez and Brito were arrested shortly after Dominici’s death.
Garcia, who prosecutors say helped Mendez dispose of evidence at the apartment before first responders arrived, fled to Mexico. He was arrested last week and extradited to the United States.
Otoniel Feliz, Nicholas’s father, spoke out for the first time alongside District Attorney Clark on Thursday.
‘I understand that justice will be done, and everything that will be done, everything possible, will not bring my son back,’ he said.
Feliz said his wife typically took care of their children, but due to an unforeseen circumstance they needed to briefly place their newborn in a daycare facility.
‘It was only five days in which I had my son at that place,’ Feliz said.
Feliz said he felt ‘betrayed’ by Divino Nino, who he had won his trust by with open communication.
‘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 showed a small wallet photo of his son Nicholas. He broke down and wept as he described hoping to replace it soon with his kindergarten graduation photo.
‘Sadly, all I have is a reminder of his death,’ Feliz said.
The grieving father urged the city to conduct stricter inspections on daycare facilities.
‘From now on, if you do an inspection in a daycare – don’t send a prior warning, because anything that’s wrong will be fine the day of the inspection,’ Feliz said. ‘It’s never too much to be one step ahead.’
He also warned parents to be vigilant when sending their children to daycare facilities.
‘Don’t trust the place 100%. Open doors. See where your children sleep. Check the mattresses, because we don’t know.’
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