SALEM, Connecticut — A man has been arrested for the death of his 1-year-old daughter, after she was exposed to narcotics. The child's mother has already been arrested.
The 1-year-old died in February 2022 in Salem. The autopsy report from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner revealed that the infant died of acute intoxication due to fentanyl and xylazine, a veterinary sedative that is commonly abused. The toxicology report also revealed that the child tested positive for naloxone (Narcan) in her blood, and ethanol, xylazine, fentanyl, and norfentanyl, a substance used in the illegal manufacture of fentanyl, were all found in her gastric system.
The death was ruled a homicide.
Travis Schubel, 37, was arrested by the Waterford Police Department during a traffic stop Wednesday. He was then arrested on an active arrest warrant for his daughter's death, charging him with manslaughter in the second degree, risk of injury to a minor, illegal possession of a controlled substance, and use of drug paraphernalia.
The infant's mother, Ricki Thomas, 28, was previously arrested on November 3, 2022, in Stonington. The mother was charged with the use of drug paraphernalia, possession of a controlled substance, risk of injury to a child, and manslaughter in the second degree.
The incident leading to both parents' arrest occurred on February 2022. At around 9:50 a.m., Thomas called 9-1-1 and requested an ambulance for her daughter.
In the 9-1-1 call, Thomas said the baby was not responsive and not breathing. The dispatcher asked the mother to check for signs of life but the mom did not see the baby's chest moving. A woman that also lives in the same house as the baby, Janice Schubel, 67, was asked by the mom if she knew how to check for a pulse. Janice Schubel was heard in the background of the call saying that the baby's lips were turning purple. The dispatcher followed by explaining how to perform CPR, but Janice was heard saying there was white foam coming from the infant's nose. CPR was attempted 3 minutes into the call.
The dispatcher asked Thomas how she found the baby and she said she normally wakes the baby up by playing and touching her, but she was not moving. The baby had been sleeping in a pack-n-play. The mom said the baby looked like she had been sleeping on the same side all night because one side of her was purple.
EMS personnel arrived about five minutes into the call; state police from Troop K arrived a few minutes later. The trooper saw the mom in the open back doors of the ambulance and two Salem Fire Department EMTs performing CPR on the infant in the back of the ambulance.
The victim was transported at around 10:08 a.m. by ambulance to William Backus Hospital in Norwich. The infant was pronounced dead at 10:41 a.m.
Based on the conditions of the house, Detectives from the Eastern District Major Crime searched the home. The conditions of the residence were observed to be "deplorable." A used Narcan cartridge was found underneath the pack-n-play, multiple empty methadone prescription bottles were found on the dresser, capped and uncapped needles, glassine baggies, small rubber bands, and metal spoons with residue were found. Thirty-eight glassine baggies of fentanyl and nip bottles were also found, according to the arrest warrant.
Police said they asked Schubel who the narcotics and liquor belonged to and he admitted that they were all his. Schubel said that the mother never used drugs.
A DCF investigation substantiated physical neglect from Ricki Thomas and Travis Schubel. The conditions of the home as well as the bedroom that belonged to Thomas and Travel Schubel were "detrimental" to the infant's wellbeing and exposed her to Travis Schubel's substance use and drug paraphernalia.
Drug test administered on Travis Schubel revealed that on Jan. 25, 2022, his urine sample tested positive for Fentanyl, on Feb. 10, 2022, his urine sample tested positive for benzodiazepines and on Feb 16, 2022, his urine sample tested positive for THC and fentanyl.
Schubel is being held on a $1 million bond.
Jareliz Diaz is a digital content producer at FOX61 News. She can be reached at jdiaz@fox61.com
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