A Bronx daycare owner has been sentenced to 45 years in prison after one child died from fentanyl poisoning and three others were hurt.

Grei Mendez, 37, was sentenced to 45 years in prison for trafficking fentanyl out of the daycare in the Bronx, New York, as well as five years of supervised release, the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Southern District of New York announced Monday in a press release.

The sentencing comes after three children died and one died in September 2023 due to fentanyl poisoning while in her care.

Mendez was previously charged with one count of distributing narcotics resulting in death and one count of possession with intent to distribute narcotics resulting in death, according to court documents obtained by USA TODAY. She pleaded guilty on Oct. 29, prosecutors said.

Her husband, Felix Herrera Garcia, was charged with conspiracy to distribute narcotics resulting in death and possession with intent to distribute narcotics resulting in death. Garcia was sentenced to 45 years in October, the attorney's office announced.

Garcia’s cousin, Carlisto Acevedo Brito, lived in the unit where the daycare was housed and was also charged with conspiracy to distribute narcotics resulting in death and possession with intent to distribute narcotics resulting in death, court documents show.

Lawyers representing Mendez at the federal level did not immediately respond to requests for comment Tuesday.

Javier A. Solano, a lawyer representing Mendez at the state level, told USA TODAY during a phone call Tuesday morning that 45 years is an excessive sentence.

“The job of the court and the job of prosecutors is to dispense justice,” Solano said. “Her husband was given 45 years as well, and somehow they've made it seem that she's equally responsible as her husband.”

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