Mayor Eric Adams: Thank you. We just felt that it was urgent and needed, that this story could not be just another day in our city. Four babies — and whomever is a parent, you had to see that picture of that young baby. The loss of his life to just reckless and careless and total disregard for those children. And I want to, number one, to thank the first responders, the EMS brokers who identified the symptoms that the children were going through. I want to thank the Police Department for their thorough investigation and immediately bringing this case to as much of a closure as possible. And I wanted to thank just our health care professionals.
And we are going to just elevate to families on what we're dealing with this. This is not because I mistakenly leave marijuana around the house or mistakenly leave cocaine around the house. This substance is so dangerous. Just a small amount, that little corner right there. The size of a penny. That little corner you see here is enough to kill an adult. That little corner. So, if you're bringing fentanyl in your home, land it on the countertop, land it on a place where your child sleeps, land it near a crib, having it on your clothing… That little piece, that little corner about the size, less than the size of a fingernail, a tenth of the size of a fingernail, can kill an adult, so imagine what it could do to a child.
You are irresponsible as an adult if you have this inside your home. This is not the drugs of yesteryear, this is so dangerous. And just to think that we have to introduce into the lives of our children Narcan. You have to carry around Narcan. We've probably saved the lives of three of those children because of Narcan, because those first responders identified the symptoms of what these children were experiencing. What are we doing? What are we doing as a society to our children? This was probably one of the worst days I've had of going up to the Bronx, sitting down with those parents, losing their babies like this. They dropped the babies off to a daycare center hoping that their children would be protected by the caregivers.
And then speaking with the father yesterday, like what do you say! What do you say? This is just total madness that we lost a child to this dangerous substance, and we almost lost three. We almost lost four children to this dangerous substance. There needs to be a full national assault on this drug entering our city. This is a new drug. This is not a new type of battle, and people need to understand this. This is not the marijuana on your tabletop, this is a dangerous drug that a small amount like this can kill an adult. So, if you are handling this and you have it on your hands, you have it on your clothing and then you pick up your child, you're exposing them to the potential of this danger.
And that's why we are here today. We're not going to allow this incident to take place and ignore this as just another day and another tragedy in the city. It's not acceptable. This is about everyone up here, we're all parents. We're all parents. And you cannot be a parent and not be angry of what happened to those four babies. I am. Commissioner.
Police Commissioner Edward Caban: Good evening. As the mayor said, we're here to provide some updates about two current investigations both taking place in the Bronx. The first, along with our partners, the Bronx DA's office, the Southern District, the New York division of the DA and others, we are one step closer to getting justice for the baby so tragically and senselessly killed on Friday in the 52 Precinct; and as we know, two other babies were hurt in the same incident. And now two arrests have been made, charges will be filed, and people will be held accountable.
What happened three days ago in the daycare center is truly unimaginable. It's a nightmare that these families will never wake up from. But believe me, the NYPD will never rest in our pursuit of anyone who puts our children in harm's way. The dangers of fentanyl cannot be overstated. This poison is extremely deadly, and if you traffic in it you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. No parent should ever have to go through something like this, and we will continue to work 24/7 to make sure there are meaningful consequences for all these horrific crimes.
The second case today relates to recent gang‑related shooting in the Bronx 40 Precinct. Two innocent bystanders were shot in that incident, and a 71‑year‑old woman was killed. The suspect, whose intended targets were members of a rival gang, were quickly identified by patrol officers in the 40 Precinct through video footage and still photos. And early this morning, less than 96 hours after the shooting, an arrest was made. As the criminal justice system takes its course, the message from our police department is clear: if you carry an illegal firearm, if you recklessly pulled the trigger, if you harm anyone in our city, the NYPD will find you. We will arrest you, and you will be held accountable.
Gang violence — or any type of violence, for that matter — will never be tolerated. Our cops will never stop fighting for the people we serve. And I want to commend all the investigators and our partners in the Regional Fugitive Task Force for their fast, effective work in this case. Now I'll turn it over to our chief of Detectives, Chief Joe Kenny.
Chief Joseph Kenny, Detectives, Police Department: Good evening. I'm going to give you an update on these two cases; and then when I'm done, the Health commissioner will give us some more comments about fentanyl. I'm Chief of Detectives, Joe Kenny. I'm going to give you two updates on recent homicides that have occurred in the Bronx. On Friday, September 15th, at 2:41 p.m., NYPD and FDNY EMS personnel responded to 2707 Morris Avenue to a 911 call of unconscious children. This location is a licensed daycare center.
The children, ages one, two and eight months old, were found to be unresponsive at the scene. They seemed to be demonstrating an exposure to an opioid. Quick thinking FDNY EMS personnel administered Narcan to these three children and removed them to Montefiore Hospital. Unfortunately, the one‑year‑old did not survive and died at the hospital. NYPD detectives later learned that an additional child, only two years old, had been removed from the same location at 12:15 that afternoon by his mother. This child also began to exhibit symptoms of opioid exposure. The child was brought to Bronx Lebanon Hospital where hospital staff quickly administered Narcan saving that child's life.
A search warrant was executed by members of the 52 Precinct Detective Squad and members of the DEA at this location, the daycare center. There, we discovered a kilogram of fentanyl in an area that was used to give the children naps: it was laid underneath a mat where the children had been sleeping earlier. Additionally, we found three kilo presses. This device is commonly used by drug dealers when packaging large quantities of illegal narcotics.
Two arrests have been made in this case: Grei Mendez, female, 36 years old with no prior arrests before this incident. She was acting as the caretaker for this daycare facility. We also locked up Carlisto Brito, male, 41 years old, very similar, zero arrests prior to this incident. Working with the Bronx district attorney's office they have both been charged with murder and attempted murder, depraved indifference. Medical testing came back on all three children, all three children had fentanyl in their systems. Year to date, the NYPD forensic laboratory has tested over 150 pounds of fentanyl.
No, that is not seized, that is just tested. This drug is so dangerous that we only test the small, small, minuscule amount to limit the exposure of our lab personnel, that's how dangerous it is. Even wearing the proper PPE — personal protection equipment — we still try to limit as much as possible our exposure to this drug. That's how dangerous it is.
The second homicide I will update occurred on Thursday, September 14th at 12:36 p.m. Two innocent bystanders were shot in the confines of the 40 Precinct in the Mott Haven section of the Bronx. Our first unintended victim was identified as a female, 34 years old. She was shot once in her left arm; and thankfully, she was treated at Lincoln Hospital and will survive her injuries.
A second woman was also shot; once again, she was an unintended victim of gun violence. And Enriqueta Rivera, 71‑year‑old woman, was walking on the sidewalk with her shopping cart when she was shot one time in her heart by a bullet that was meant for another, meant for a rival gang member. She was transported to Lincoln Hospital, where unfortunately, she passed away. We have two innocent women, two Bronx residents, two unintended targets, both struck by senseless gunfire.
Members of the 40 Detective Squad and Bronx Homicide responded and were able to quickly identify the perpetrator of this crime. He is Joshua Evans, male, 21 years old. He resides just two blocks from where the shooting took place. He has one prior arrest, and that was for robbery back in 2019.
Evans was located and apprehended by U.S. Marshals and the Regional Fugitive Task Force at 6:30 this morning. He was found hiding at a relative's home located at 263 Rich Avenue in Mount Vernon, New York. Working with the Bronx district attorney's office, he will be charged with murder and attempted murder.
