Family suing Airbnb, others over toddler’s deadly fentanyl exposure

by: Natasha Zouves, Katie Smith

Posted: Mar 6, 2023 / 09:39 PM CST

Updated: Mar 6, 2023 / 09:39 PM CST

(NewsNation) — A family is suing Airbnb after their 19-month-old daughter died of an apparent fentanyl overdose while staying at a Florida property.

Enora Lavanir had gone down for a nap during a 2021 vacation to a Wellington, Florida, lake house, according to a Washington Post report. When the girl’s parents tried to wake her, they were met by “every parent’s absolute worst nightmare,” the family’s lawyer Thomas Scolaro told NewsNation.

“I can’t imagine what they’ve been through,” he said. “They did not know initially that this was fentanyl. They were without a clue. For a period of time, they thought it was SIDS — Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.”

An autopsy report ultimately showed there were traces of fentanyl in the toddler’s system, Scolaro said.

Now, Lavanir’s family is suing Airbnb and the unit’s previous renter – who booked the stay through another vacation rental company, Vrbo – as well as the property manager and owner.

“What does justice look like to them?” Scolaro said. “I can’t tell you what a jury will ultimately do with this but we want to hold both Airbnb, the renter, the owner, the manager — everybody who had touched this place — responsible under the law.”

Airbnb provided the following comment to both the Washington Post and People Magazine:

“Our hearts go out to the Lavenir family and their loved ones for their devastating loss.”

Charges haven’t been brought in the case, and authorities say they weren’t able to find evidence of fentanyl at the rental. A spokesperson for the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office tells the Post the case is closed, pending any leads in the investigation.