• Bags of fentanyl were discovered beneath a hidden compartment in the children’s play area of a NYC daycare center.
• Mendez and Brito were also charged with state crimes of murder, manslaughter, and assault.
• If found guilty on federal charges, both individuals could face a life sentence in prison.

The proprietors of a daycare center in New York City, where a toddler tragically passed away and three other children fell ill due to opioid exposure last week, were discovered to have concealed bags of fentanyl beneath a hidden compartment in the children’s play area, according to police reports.

During the execution of a search warrant at the Bronx apartment on Thursday, New York City detectives uncovered narcotics, including a substantial quantity of fentanyl, and various related items concealed under plywood and tile flooring.

Photos released by the police displayed bags filled with powder hidden within the “trap floor,” just a few steps away from a shelf holding children’s toys.

This disheartening revelation occurred almost a week after four children at the Bronx apartment daycare facility were treated for opioid poisoning.

It is believed that 1-year-old Nicholas Dominici, one of the victims, succumbed to exposure to these dangerous substances.

Grei Mendez, the operator of the daycare center, and a tenant of the building, Carlisto Acevedo Brito, have been charged with murder, specifically, “depraved indifference,” in connection with Dominici’s tragic death.

Authorities are actively seeking a third individual, who is Mendez’s husband and also a cousin of Brito.

Before the drugs hidden beneath the trap door were discovered, law enforcement had already announced the seizure of a kilogram (2.2 pounds) of fentanyl that had been stored near sleeping mats used by the children, along with various tools utilized by drug traffickers for mixing and pressing drugs into bricks.

According to federal prosecutors, Mendez, aged 36, took measures to conceal the drug operation on September 15, immediately after realizing that some of the children under her care were not waking up from their naps.

Before alerting first responders, she made a call to her husband, as reported by authorities.

Surveillance footage captured him entering the building moments later and subsequently leaving through a back alley with multiple shopping bags.

During their appearance in a federal court located in Manhattan, Mendez’s attorney stated that she had no awareness of the drug operation and implied that her husband bore responsibility for the narcotics. On the other hand, Brito, aged 41, remained silent during his court appearance.

If found guilty on federal charges of possession with the intent to distribute narcotics resulting in death and one count of conspiracy, both individuals could potentially face a life sentence in prison.

Additionally, they have also been charged in state court with murder, manslaughter, and assault.