ABC News September 26, 2023

Husband of owner of Bronx day care where child died of fentanyl arrested in Mexico: Sources

WATCH: Police make 4th arrest in Bronx day care poisoning case

The husband of the owner of a New York City day care where a 1-year-old boy died following fentanyl exposure has been arrested, law enforcement sources told ABC News.

Felix Herrera Garcia was arrested in Mexico, on a bus in Sinaloa, after a manhunt that lasted more than a week, the sources said.

Following Garcia's arrest, Mexican authorities who apprehended him provide further details regarding his capture in a statement. "In a coordinated manner, elements of the State Preventive Police and Municipal Police detained in Culiacán, a man of Dominican nationality with two arrest warrants in the United States," the statement read.

Mexican Authorities
Felix Herrera Garcia was arrested in Mexico on Sept. 27, 2023.

"The police in the first instance detained the man for administrative offenses, so he was taken to Court in the state capital and due to his nationality, his details were checked with foreign authorities, who reported that the man had two arrest warrants for the crime of drug conspiracy and homicide of a child," the statement said.

"Following these events, he was placed at the disposal of the corresponding immigration authorities in order to determine his situation and carry out the pertinent procedure established by the law of the neighboring country."

Garcia was allegedly seen in surveillance images running out of the Bronx day care with heavy shopping bags as the children were suffering from fentanyl exposure, according to court records.

U.S. Southern District of New York
Images contained from a federal criminal compliant show a suspect in the Bronx day care fentanyl poisoning case carrying bags out the back alley behind the day care building in New York.
MORE: Police find more fentanyl in trap floor at Bronx day care where baby died

On Sept. 15, Nicholas Dominici, a 1-year-old, died following exposure to fentanyl at the day care.

Three other children, ranging in age from 8 months to 2 years, were hospitalized and treated with Narcan, police said. An analysis of urine from one of the victims confirmed the presence of fentanyl, officials said.

WABC
Police and federal drug agents returned Thursday to the Bronx daycare where a one year died and three other children had to be revived with naloxone following exposure to fentanyl to search for hidden drugs.
MORE: Day care operator charged in baby's fentanyl death allegedly deleted more than 20K text messages

Investigators found a kilo of fentanyl stored on kids' play mats at the day care, along with a device to press drugs into bricks for sale, according to court records. In a trap floor under the day care's play area, investigators found fentanyl, other narcotics and drug paraphernalia, police said.

The first two to be arrested were day care owner Grei Mendez, who is Garcia's wife, and Carlisto Acevedo Brito, who is Garcia's cousin and Mendez's tenant. They face federal charges of narcotics possession with intent to distribute resulting in death and conspiracy to distribute narcotics resulting in death as well as state charges including murder.

Federal authorities last week promised to hold accountable anyone linked to the day care.

WABC
Police and federal drug agents returned Thursday to the Bronx daycare where a one year died and three other children had to be revived with naloxone following exposure to fentanyl to search for hidden drugs.

This weekend, a third person, Renny Antonio Parra Paredes, was arrested. He was charged in federal court with conspiracy to distribute narcotics.