Baby dies, 3 others hospitalized suspected opioid exposure at New York City day care

NEW YORK — A 1-year-old boy died and three others were hospitalized after suspected opioid exposure at a day care in New York City on Friday.

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The police department’s chief of detectives, Joseph E. Kenny, said that emergency crews were called to the day care at 2707 Morris Ave. in the Bronx Friday just before 3 p.m. about three unconscious children, The New York Times reported.

The children were identified as a 1-year-old boy, a 2-year-old boy and an 8-month-old girl. They were unresponsive and emergency crews administered Narcan before transferring them to an area hospital. The 8-month-old girl and the 2-year-old boy both regained consciousness, the newspaper reported.

Another 2-year-old boy who left day care earlier in the day went home and his mother found him to be unresponsive. He was taken to the hospital, where he was administered Narcan.

The two 2-year-old boys and an 8-month-old girl remain hospitalized, according to The Associated Press.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams said during an overnight news conference that the children “appeared to have come into contact with an opioid,” according to the Times.

WABC reported that sources indicated that the opioid was fentanyl.

The medical examiner said that they expect to determine the child’s cause of death later in the day Saturday, the Times reported.

In the news conference, Kenny said there were suspicions about opioid exposure from the children’s symptoms. He also said a “kilo-press” was found during the execution of a search warrant at the day care, the newspaper reported.

“This is an item that is commonly used by drug dealers when packaging large quantities of drugs,” Kenny said.

The day care reportedly opened last January with a New York Office of Children and Family Services license following two inspections, the commissioner, Dr. Ashwin Vasan said, according to the Times. Vasan was shocked that there were no violations found at the day care during an inspection last week.

Once the children were out of the day care, New York Fire Department crews tested the day care for any environmental hazards such as carbon monoxide which was negative.