A French family is taking on Airbnb after their daughter died from a fentanyl overdose while staying in a Florida vacation rental home. In August 2021, Lydie and Boris Lavenir of the French Island of Guadeloupe, which in the Caribbean, put their 19-month-old daughter, Enora, down for a nap in their rented lake house in Wellington, Florida. Two hours later, her mother discovered she was dead.
Enora and her four siblings had spent the morning playing and having fun. The toddler went down for a rest, and her mother decided to nap too. When Lydie awoke, she didn't hear Enora and felt like something was wrong, according to the Washington Post. When she got to her, the child was blue, and even though the family called 911, little Enora had already died.
After an autopsy and a toxicology report by the Palm Beach Medical Examiner, the family learned the child had died from a overdose of fentanyl. The family had never heard of the drug, and they wanted answers.
How Enora came in contact with the drug is a mystery.
None of Enora's family members are drug users and were reportedly not familiar with fentanyl. The drug has become increasingly available in the United States in the last several years, and even the smallest dose can be fatal.
Police initially suspected her parents but found no signs of any drugs on them or amongst their belongings, the Post explained. Investigators soon launched inquiries into prior renters, but aside from admitted cocaine use, they found no links related to fentanyl, police reports stated, according to the new outlet. Investigators concluded the death was accidental.
Investigators thoroughly examined the rental property and did extensive interviews with Enora's family.
Authorities didn't want to leave any stone unturned and worked with the family to help find the cause of Enora's death. At first, the family suspected sudden infant death syndrome, or SIDS. According to police records, investigators spoke with Lydie Lavenir to see how she put the child to bed and how she usually slept.
They also combed through her medical history and examined the toddler's body for signs of abuse. They performed forensic testing on her bottle and found no signs of fentanyl.
The case is closed, pending any new leads.
Palm Beach Sheriff's Office representative Teri Barbera confirmed to the Post that her office has closed the case.
Unsatisfied, the Lavenirs have continued their quest to find the cause of Enora's death and have entered into lawsuits with Airbnb, the property owner, the rental manager, and the previous renters, who admitted to having a party at the house before their stay. The family contends partygoers left behind the drug, which is how Enora must have gotten it.
The family and their attorney are sure the fentanyl was in the Airbnb before they arrived.
Miami-based attorney Thomas Scolaro represents the family and told the Post that the obvious drug source was partygoers invited by the previous renters. He said finding the drug user or supplier is not his primary concern. Instead, he wants to hold Airbnb accountable.
"The only thing we have here is our common sense," he said. "It was definitely in that unit, that Airbnb. Which particular person left the drugs is frankly not anything I'm trying to prove. What I want to show is Airbnb provided no cleanup, no warning, no measure of safety for the family."
In a statement obtained by the newspaper, the company simply said, "Our hearts go out to the Lavenir family and their loved ones for their devastating loss." Airbnb has not responded to the family's lawsuit.
Fentanyl use can be deadly.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that can be used safely in its intended form. Doctors provide prescriptions for the drug to patients who have severe pain. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, doctors give it to patients post-surgery or with advanced-stage cancer.
Fentanyl overdose is most commonly linked to the illegally manufactured variant. Even the slightest amount can be deadly. The CDC notes that it is nearly impossible to detect fentanyl in recreational drugs without using a fentanyl test strip. More than 150 people die every day in the US because of synthetic opioids containing fentanyl, the agency reported.
"Infant fentanyl deaths increased twice as fast between 2019 and 2021. Fentanyl deaths among toddlers between the ages of 1 and 4 more than tripled, and deaths among children between the ages of 5 and 14 nearly quadrupled, according to Families Against Fentanyl.
