It was already public knowledge that fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid what is between 30 and 50 times more powerful than heroin, was wreaking havoc in the city of NY. That the number of overdose deaths due to the use of this narcotic was on the rise. That his presence was running quickly through the streets of the poorest neighborhoods. That active and occasional consumers of cocaine and heroin, They are at high risk of consuming high doses of this drug without knowing it. Until there.
But now, due to a very painful incident, it is known that even children and innocent people can be fatal victims by inhalation of this substance. Simply by being in the wrong place.
Since last Friday, when the 16-month-old, Nicholas Feliz Dominici, died According to the initial versions, for a fentanyl overdose while at the Divino Niño daycare center in the Bronxthe authorities of the Big Apple have had to once again direct their firm gazetowards a scourge that seems to be taking on monstrous dimensions.
Others three children were also hospitalized, by inhalation of this product. To date, they are stable.
All this nightmare, starring several Hispanic familiesbegan at 2:43 in the afternoon last Friday, when authorities responded to a 911 call, because three children were unconscious and did not wake up, at 2707 Morris Avenue in the Bronx. They were two boys and an eight-month-old girl.
Sadly, Nicholas Feliz Dominici, 16 months old, did not survive.
In this case, which shocked the entire city, a very young child, someone who no one would think was at even the slightest risk of interacting with opioids, came into contact with a powerful substance that can poison the recipient through inhalation, ingestion or contact with the skin.
“It’s time to act”
Last month, the Dominican assemblywoman, Yudelka Tapia, precisely representative of The Bronx, raised alarm bells about how the consumption and distribution of illegal opioids were becoming a “100-headed beast,” specifically in that county.
“This was unimaginable. And now doubly painful. What parent can imagine that leaving their children in a daycare, hours later they may find out that they suffered a fentanyl overdose. This has been devastating for everyone. And it is a clear sign that we must educate our communities more about how, where we least think about it, the influence of this narcotic can exist,” Tapia highlighted.
The island legislator, who promotes a draft bill to prohibit the marketing of xylazine in New Yorka free-sale anesthesia for veterinary use, which when combined with fentanyls or heroin, becomes a mixture now popularly known as ‘Tranq’ or ‘zombie’ drugensures that the death of this “innocent angel” It should be an impetus for more accelerated measures to be taken in the war against this lethal drug.
Tapia is convinced that a single law, much less the prohibition of a product, will put the brakes on this public health emergency, but it is time for us to ensure that investments in mental health are being channeled effectively. Particularly in the neighborhoods hardest hit by the expansion of this narcotic.
“We must use more resources to educate communities about the voracity of this scourge. We have observed the terrible lack of knowledge in our neighborhoods about such a complex issue”, he remarked.
This year, New York State will receive more than $2 billion through settlement agreements with opioid manufacturers, which among other things will be used in enforcement efforts. prevention, treatment, recovery, harm reduction and education to address the opioid epidemic.
“They sell drugs on every corner”
It is necessarily not clear to most New Yorkers that fentanyl is short-acting and It cannot be seen, tasted, or smelled when mixed with other drugs.
While pharmaceutical fentanyl is prescribed for severe pain and end-of-life care, non-pharmaceutical fentanyl is produced illicitly. Now, it is common to market it to mix it with other drugs such as heroin and cocaine.
A Dominican mother from The Bronx, who preferred not to reveal her identity, assures that since marijuana was legalized, in her opinion, it has “open the doors” to various drugs that are openly sold on every corner of his neighborhood.
“The death of this innocent man hurts all of us mothers who have children in primary and secondary schools. Because we know that all minors are at risk. Drugs are sold here like water. This marijuana thing unleashed several demons. Now they mix everything. “This is horrible!” the Bronx resident said excitedly.
What happened in the nursery?
Although there are still “doubtful areas” in this caseJoseph E. Kennychief of detectives New York City Police Department (NYPD), confirmed that suspicions about the children’s exposure to opioids were motivated by their symptoms and by the discovery of a “press,” commonly used by drug traffickersto package large quantities of drugs.
The initial hypothesis, which still lacks additional research, suggests that the children were exposed when they The fentanyl was processed or “cut” in an area close to the rest area of the care center.
Possibly, a significant amount of the substance floated in the air, which allowed them to inhale it, police sources explained.
For his part, Karl Miller, assistant district attorney of Bronx County, said that a kilo of fentanyl in a closet in a room.
Because of this calamity, last Saturday, Grei Méndez De Ventura, 36, owner of the Divino Niño daycarewas arrested along with the suspect Carlisto Acevedo Brito, a 41-year-old man, to whom he rented a room in the basement of ‘Day Care’.
Acevedo Brito is the cousin of Grei Méndez’s husband.
The accused defended herself before the court by stating that “she did not know anything about the existence of drugs on that property, Well, he was simply renting a room. It is illogical to think that knowing that there was fentanyl in my house, I was going to call the police.”
However, the daycare owner was indicted Sunday night in Bronx Criminal Court for endangering the welfare of children, criminal drug possession and 12 counts of assault. He was ordered detained without bail.
The couple was also charged with depraved conduct and directly by the death of Nicholas, for alleged exposure to fentanyl.
As of Monday, the NYPD reported that the investigation “remained active.”but they are on the trail of Méndez’s husband.
Did they have the permits in order?
Divino Niño Daycare is a home child care site, under the official authority of the New York State Office of Children and Family Services, which It opened its doors in January of this year.
The Department of Health and Mental Hygiene conducts regular inspections of these types of establishments. A surprise official review was carried out on September 9. And no irregularities were found.
“We have prioritized the overdose crisis in this administration’s mental health plan because we know it affects everyone. And now, this has become painfully evident, this challenge that we face,” highlighted the Dr Ashwan Vasan, commissioner of New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH).
You must know:
- 80% of drug users in New York use fentanyl, the powerful synthetic opioid associated with the rise in fatal overdoses nationwide, but only 18% do so voluntarily. It is manufactured in laboratories and at lower costs than heroin.
- 2,686 people died for drug overdoses in 2021 in NYC, 30% more than the previous year
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