Owner of Bronx Daycare Where 1-Year-old Died of an Opioid Overdose 'Wasted Precious Minutes' Calling Drug Cohorts Instead of Authorities, Sources Say
Sept. 19 2023, Published 2:30 p.m. ET
The owner of a Bronx daycare where a 1-year-old boy died from opioid overdose "wasted precious minutes" making personal phone calls before contacting 911, RadarOnline.com has learned.
Police sources said that Grei Mendez De Ventura, 36, the owner of Divino Niño Daycare, made a trio of calls to her alleged drug dealing cohorts before contacting emergency services after four children in her care were exposed to fentanyl under her watch.
According to a law enforcement insider, 1-year-old Nicholas Feliz Dominici and three other children at Divino Nińo Daycare were exposed to fentanyl on Friday.
Despite the severity of the situation, the source said De Ventura "wasted precious minutes" calling several individuals, including her husband, before she contacted emergency services around 3:30 PM — but it was tragically too late.
By the time first responders transported Dominici to the hospital, the child was pronounced dead.
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De Ventura reportedly contacted her husband, who was on the run and said to be the "main player" in the drug operation, as well as her cousin-in-law Carlisto Acevedo Brito and another unidentified friend.
"How callous could she be?" the insider said. "She wasted precious minutes, worrying about herself and the drug dealers. When she should’ve been most concerned about saving these innocent babies’ lives."
The three additional children exposed included a pair of 2-year-old boys and their 8-month-old sister. Police said all three children were hospitalized, and one boy remains in critical condition.
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Adding to concern and outrage at De Ventura's action was security camera footage that captured her husband carrying a large trash bag out of the daycare facility before first responders arrived at the scene.
Insiders said that De Ventura's husband was caught on camera entering through the facility's backdoor. The man stayed for a few minutes before leaving with a bag large enough to conceal illicit substances.
After her husband left, De Venture spoke to him on the phone several times according to the Post.
On Monday, NYPD Chief of Detectives Joe Kenny revealed that a raid was conducted at the facility and its findings were extremely disturbing. Kenny said that authorities "discovered a kilogram of fentanyl in an area that was used to give the children naps."
De Ventura and Brito were both arrested and charged with manslaughter, assault, drug possession, and child endangerment.