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New London County resident Travis J. Schubel, 38, of Salem was arrested Wednesday, Dec. 28, by Waterford police during a traffic stop, Connecticut State Police said.
The child's mother, Ricki Thomas, age unknown, also of Salem was previously arrested on Thursday, Nov. 3, and is currently being held at the York Correctional Institution on a $2 million bond on a manslaughter charge.
The child died on Tuesday, Feb. 8 at the couple's home in Salem, according to the state police.
According to the arrest warrant for Schubel, the little girl was found in a pack-in-play with foam coming out of her nose and her lips blue. Thomas and a roommate, Janice Schubel, attempted to perform CPR until EMS arrived and took over.
Members of the Salem Fire Department performed CPR and administered four doses of Narcan, in an attempt to save the child’s life as they rushed her to Backus Hospital, the warrant said.
The child was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Schubel was visiting a methadone clinic at the time the child was found, the warrant states.
According to the warrant, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined the child’s cause of death to be “acute intoxication due to fentanyl and xylazine.” Her manner of death was ruled a homicide.
During a search of the home, police said in the warrant they found "deplorable" conditions with dirty dishes everywhere, food on counters with flies and bugs, a dirty diaper on the floor, cobwebs all over the home, and dirty clothes and other items piled throughout the residence.
In the bedroom where the child slept with both adults, police said there was the little girl's pack-in-play with a small pancake and toys in it. There was also a used Narcan cartridge underneath the pack-and-play.
Police said they also found multiple empty methadone bottles in the dresser drawers, along with other drug-related items and 38 bags of an unknown powder which later tested positive for fentanyl in a plastic storage box in a desk drawer.
The mother denied using any drugs and said she was not aware that Schubel used any drugs but methadone. All denied using Narcan on the child, the warrant said.
Schubel was charged with:
- Manslaughter
- Risk of injury to a child
- Possession of a controlled substance
- Use of drug paraphernalia
He is being held on a $1 million bond.
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