Single Dad And Seven Children Ages 6 To 15 Die In Maryland Tragedy: Carbon Monoxide Suspected As Cause of Deaths

According to The Washington Post, eight members of the same family were found dead in their home on Monday in Princess Anne, Maryland. Those dead include a single father and his seven children. Even though the official cause has not been released, people are suspecting that carbon monoxide was the cause because the house had no electricity, and a generator that had run out of fuel was in the kitchen. This tragedy is one with the highest number of deaths in any single incident in the Princess Anne region.

Princess Anne Police Chief Scott Keller indicated that there was no foul play because the entire family was found in sleeping positions and nothing was out of place when detectives forced their way inside. He added that carbon monoxide might have killed them as they slept.

Bonnie Edwards identified the man as her 36-year-old son who was divorced. His boys were Cameron, 13, and Zycheim, seven. His girls included Tynijuiza, 15; Tykira, 12; Tybree, 10; Tyania, nine; and Tybria, six.

The Christian Science Monitor reported that Todd’s stepfather said the single father had been trying to keep the family warm with a generator after the power was cut off because of an outstanding bill. Authorities would not confirm any information about possible carbon monoxide poisoning, They did confirm that the electricity to the house was turned off and said officers were looking into how long the family had been without power and using a generator.

The Baltimore Sun reported that the utility company disconnected a stolen meter at the family’s rental house. Delmarva Power said it did not cut off the family’s electricity because Todd was behind on his bills, but the power was cut off for the family’s own safety. On March 25, an illegal connection was discovered.

No one knows exactly how long the eight family members had been dead. Todd was a utility worker for the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. Todd’s supervisor tried to reach him by telephone when he didn’t show up for work. She sent employees to look for him. She contacted the police after she got no answer when she went to his house and knocked on the door. Police are the ones who discovered the bodies.

Carbon monoxide is a deadly, colorless and odorless gas. Running a generator produces the deadly gas. People are warned not to use a generator indoors, as the Maryland family had reportedly done.

[Image via Sky News]