LARKSVILLE, Pa. — One year after a 16-day-old baby died, her parents are now behind bars in connection with her death.
The two parents from Larksville were arrested on Friday.
Police say drugs are to blame for the child's death nearly one year ago. According to court paperwork, the parents of the 16-day-old infant have a long history of drug use.
State police say the baby was fed breast milk that contained traces of fentanyl, ultimately leading to the child's death
Jennifer Travinski, 45, of Larksville, kept her head down as she was led into a magistrate's office in Forty Fort. Travinski faces charges including third-degree murder in connection with last year's death of her 16-day-old daughter Arya.
"It's a long time coming. We wanted to make sure we had everything, all of our T's crossed and I's dotted, and be ready to have a solid case, and the charges are certainly appropriate for what happened here," said Luzerne County Assistant District Attorney Carly Hislop.
It was November of 2021 when Larksville police were called to the home on Highlark Drive for reports of an unresponsive infant. The baby died at the hospital just hours later.
State police took over the investigation. Court papers show that troopers found more than 200 packets of fentanyl inside the home. Prosecutors believe Jennifer Travinski abused the painkiller during her pregnancy. A sample of her breast milk tested positive for fentanyl, causing the infant to overdose
"I don't know that we are ever able to test the breast milk like we were in this case, to have it readily available. I'm not sure if this happens a lot, but we had all of the evidence available to us to put all of the dots together," Bishop said.
Jennifer's husband, Gary Travinski, 40, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child and drug-related offenses. Investigators say he was also abusing fentanyl.
Court paperwork states the couple conceived the child using a donor egg.
"We knew they were using drugs, and it is unfortunate that the baby was ultimately born, and then the baby ultimately died from the continued drug use," Bishop added.
The magistrate denied bail for both Jennifer and Gary Travinski. Both are locked up and are due back in Luzerne County court next month.
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