Rodney Todd’s 7 Kids Die From Gas Poisoning After Electricity Is Disconnected Over Stolen Power Meter

Rodney Todd and his seven children all died from carbon monoxide poisoning after Delmarva Power disconnected their electricity for the “family’s safety.” Even as many are still mourning the death of all eight people in the Todd family, the power company is warning against stealing electricity, insisting that the blame for the tragedy lies with an illegal power meter which was allegedly stolen.

In a related report by the Inquisitr, a controversy has arisen over the case since some believe Delmarva Power is at fault, while others blame Mr. Todd.

The sequence of events leading up to the death of Rodney Todd and his family has been very confusing. The only thing known for certain is that all eight family members died from carbon monoxide poisoning some time before April 6, 2015, when police checked their rented home and discovered all eight bodies. They also found a power generator hooked up to the house, and police speculate that Mr. Todd had turned on the generator during the night due to the weather.

“Probably it was bedtime and they decided they needed some light and probably some heat, because toward the end of March, even though it was spring, we were having some pretty chilly nights,” Princess Anne police Chief Scott Keller said, according to the Daily Mail.

Todd’s stepfather, Lloyd Edwards, said the electricity had been disconnected for quite a while, but Delmarva Power says they disconnected the electricity on March 25 when a stolen electric meter was shown to be stealing electricity. Relatives of the Todd family insist the power was disconnected over late power bills, but the power company insists that tampering with electric meters is the real issue. Delmarva Power also says they disconnected the power for the safety of the family.

“It’s not safe, don’t try it,” said Nicholas Morici, a Delmarva spokesman, according to Delmarva Now. “The only personnel that should be working on those meters, touching those meters, are Delmarva Power professionals trained to do so.”

This past week, around 1,200 people attended a large funeral for the family of Rodney Todd. The children’s mother, Tyisha Chambers, sat in the front row of the auditorium and did not speak during the service. According to the Baltimore Sun, even President Barack Obama wrote a message where he said his “heartfelt condolences are with” the friends and family of the Maryland family.

[Image via Joe Lamberti / Delmarva Now]