Family of girl who died from ingesting fentanyl in Florida sues Airbnb platform over ‘insufficient’ cleanup
The family of a 19-month-old girl who died in 2021 presumably by fentanyl ingestion in a rented house in Florida sued the Airbnb platform, which it accuses of not having cleaned up sufficiently after the departure of the previous tenants, local media reported Thursday.
Enora, the youngest of the Lavernier couple’s five children, was pronounced dead in a hospital in the Wellington area of Palm Beach County (southeast Florida), to which she was taken by her parents after her mother found her breathless and “blue in the face” in the summer of 2021, noted local broadcaster WPTV.
The autopsy detected the presence of fentanyl in her system, according to the media. According to a police report cited by the channel, the little girl’s mother took a nap and when she woke up an hour later she found her unwell and took her to the hospital.
Fentanyl ingestion
“Her baby died as a result of ingesting fentanyl in an Airbnb. It’s one of the most horrible things I’ve ever come across,” said attorney Thomas Scolaro, who represents the family.
According to Scolaro, many of the homes rented through Airbnb are used for “parties,” and the platform should know that the cleaning procedures it advertises are “insufficient to decontaminate them from the fatal fentanyl.”
“A family should feel safe and secure every time you are in any type of accommodation. Airbnb promotes that (theirs) are safe, secure and hygienic for families and children,” it added. Airbnb said in a brief statement to the channel, “Our hearts go out to the Lavenir family and their loved ones for their devastating loss.”
