Mother sentenced in baby's fentanyl overdose death
Mar. 25—WILKES-BARRE — A mother's choice to use fentanyl that resulted in the overdose death of her 16-day-old daughter caused by contaminated breast milk was sentenced to up to 53 years in state prison Monday.
Jennifer Travinski, 46, was convicted by a Luzerne County jury following a four-day trial in December of third-degree murder and other offenses in the death of Ayra Travinski in November 2021.
At her sentencing hearing before Judge David W. Lupas, Assistant District Attorney Carly Levandoski who, along with First Assistant District Attorney Anthony Ross prosecuted, asked for a high end, maximum sentence noting Jennifer Travinski had a history of using fentanyl since she was 18-years-old and ignored repeated medical instructions about the dangers of providing breast milk contaminated with fentanyl to her newborn.
Levandoski said Jennifer Travinski became pregnant with Ayra by in-vitro fertilization after many failed attempts, and used fentanyl during her pregnancy, including an overdose episode while pregnant during a beach vacation in Delaware in August 2021.
"She is the reason why her baby is dead. She lost her child by her own choice," Levandoski said.
"I loved my baby girl," Jennifer Travinski said, noting she never intended to harm her baby. "She was everything."
Lupas, who presided over the trial, believed Jennifer Travinski "expressed little remorse," and she failed her "motherly instincts" to protect her newborn by continuing to use fentanyl.
"Basically, you chose fentanyl over your baby and you need to be held accountable for that," the judge said, sentencing Jennifer Travinski to 26 years, six months to 53 years in state prison. Along with the third-degree murder conviction, the jury also found her guilty of aggravated assault, endangering the welfare of a child and possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance.
During the trial, Trooper Peter Smith a member of the Pennsylvania State Police, Troop P, Forensic Services Unit, testified hundreds of empty packets used to store heroin and fentanyl were found inside the Larksville home on Highland Drive, where Jennifer Travinski and her husband, Gary Travinski, 41, lived when Ayra was found unresponsive on Nov. 27, 2021.
Ayra died at Lehigh Valley Cedar Crest Hospital on Nov. 28, 2021.
Lehigh Valley Coroner Daniel A. Buglio testified during the trial that Ayra died from adverse effects of fentanyl exposure complicating acute pneumonia.
Gary Travinski entered a plea of no contest to a child endangerment charge and was sentenced by Lupas to two-to-four years in state prison on Dec. 15, 2023.
Attorney Demetrius Fannick represented Jennifer Travinski.
The third-degree murder conviction of Jennifer Travinski is believed to be the first in Pennsylvania involving infants' deaths involving breast milk tainted with illicit drugs.
