Prosecutors lean on Jennifer Travinski’s drug usage

WILKES-BARRE — Hundreds of empty packets used to store heroin and fentanyl were found throughout the Larksville home of Jennifer Travinski, and her husband, Gary Edward Travinski, a state trooper testified Tuesday in Luzerne County Court.

Trooper Peter Smith, a member of the Troop P Forensic Services Unit, searched the house after the Travinskis’ 16-day-old daughter, Ayra, died on Nov. 28, 2021.

Smith said that as he began processing the house, he noticed empty packets commonly used to store heroin and fentanyl. A search warrant was then obtained to thoroughly search the house, where Smith said he found hundreds of empty packets throughout the residence, including some in a diaper genie with soiled diapers. Empty packets were also found wrapped within soiled diapers removed from the diaper genie, Smith said.

Smith testified on the second day of Jennifer Travinski’s Luzerne County jury trial before Judge David W. Lupas on charges of third-degree murder, aggravated assault and endangering the welfare of a child.

First Assistant District Attorney Anthony Ross and Assistant District Attorney Carly Levandoski have presented several witnesses, including Smith, in their efforts to convince the jury Jennifer Travinski’s alleged reckless drug use caused the death of her baby.

Jennifer Travinski’s attorney, Demetrius Fannick, is attempting to shift blame toward her husband, Gary Travinski.

Ross told the jury Ayra died from adverse effects of fentanyl exposure, complicating acute pneumonia.

One of four bottles filled with breast milk taken from a refrigerator contained trace amounts of fentanyl, Ross told the jury.

During Smith’s testimony, Ross displayed pictures of the house interior, including a lower level den turned into a nursery, and the four bottles of breast milk.

Former Larksville police officer Bailey Comforti, now a Wilkes-Barre police officer, testified earlier Tuesday that he responded to the house for an unresponsive infant on Nov. 27, 2021. Comforti performed life saving measures until emergency medical technicians arrived to transport the baby to a hospital.

Ayra died at Lehigh Valley Cedar Crest the next day.

Comforti said he did not see any drugs or paraphernalia but did note in his police incident report that Jennifer Travinski, 46, was in her pajamas and crying hysterically while Gary Travinski, 41, displayed no sense of concern and appeared calm.

Smith said he responded to the house to process the scene following the baby’s death. While inside the house, he noticed packets commonly used to store heroin and fentanyl, and the processing of the house stopped until a search warrant was obtained.

Smith said he found empty packets inside a trash bag and diaper genie in the nursery, empty packets in a trash can inside a bathroom adjacent to the nursery, packets inside a dresser in the Travinski’s bedroom and two rolled up $1 bills with fentanyl residue on a bedroom nightstand.

When Fannick questioned Smith, the jury heard the two rolled up $1 bills with fentanyl residue were on the nightstand on Gary Travinski’s side of the bed.

Fannick also displayed pictures of several containers of diaper rash cream taken from the house to illustrate Jennifer Travinski was providing care for her daughter.

Fannick told the jury that when Ayra was found unresponsive, Gary Travinski had given her a bottle while Jennifer Travinski was asleep.

Gary Travinski entered a no contest plea to a child endangerment charge on Oct. 20. He is scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 15.

During his opening statement to the jury Monday, Ross explained Jennifer Travinski became pregnant with Ayra by in-vitro fertilization.

Testimony continues Wednesday.