NEED TO KNOW
- Four children and their grandmother died after being exposed to carbon monoxide while inside a vehicle with a flat tire in Toledo, Ohio, on July 15.
- The children’s father found them unconscious in the car and called emergency services for help; All four children and their grandmother have died.
- Toledo Police are investigating the incident and do not currently suspect any foul play.
Four children and their grandmother died after being exposed to carbon monoxide, authorities said.
The children, identified as Liberty, 4, Storm, 3, Legacy, 4, and Stone, 2, along with their grandmother Candace McAllister, 36, are suspected of being exposed to the dangerous chemical while inside a vehicle that suffered a flat tire on Wednesday, July 15, according to local outlet WTVG, which cited the Toledo Police Department.
The children’s mother, Adriana Coleman, spoke to the outlet about the devastating loss.
«They all had so much personality in life and were so full of love,» Coleman told WTVG. “They were certainly way above their years.”
«Everything I did was for my kids,» Coleman added. «It seems so surreal now because life has stopped for me right now. I’m here, but I have no idea what’s going to happen after I leave the hospital doors. I just want my babies.»
Toledo Police initially announced an “active hazmat incident” in the 300 block of Phillips Ave. in Toledo, Ohio, in a social media post Wednesday. Toledo Police and the Toledo Fire and Rescue Department responded to the incident.
«The detective said when they put his meter in the car to test the carbon monoxide levels, the level was five times the lethal limit,» Coleman told WTVG of the investigation.
«Our thoughts remain with the family and loved ones affected by this heartbreaking tragedy,» said Toledo police spokesman Sgt. Mohamad Nasser said in a statement obtained by WTVG.
Authorities said McCallister called the children’s father, who has not been identified, for help after the tire went flat. Upon arriving at the scene, the father found the five people unconscious in the vehicle and immediately called emergency services.
«They began providing life-saving treatments to all patients when we called more crews to the scene and had a hazmat response because we didn’t know what we were dealing with,» Toledo Fire Chief Allison Armstrong said, according to WTVG.
«Carbon monoxide poisoning occurs when carbon monoxide builds up in the blood,» according to the Mayo Clinic. «When there is too much carbon monoxide in the air, the carbon monoxide replaces the oxygen in the red blood cells. This can lead to serious tissue damage or even death.»
Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz shared a statement on social media about the family’s loss.
«Today, a family experienced a tragedy that no family should have to endure,» Kapszukiewicz’s statement began.
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«Our hearts go out to this family facing an unimaginable loss,» he wrote.
«While investigators do not currently suspect foul play, authorities will conduct a thorough investigation to determine exactly what happened and provide the family with the answers they deserve,» Kapszukiewicz continued.
PEOPLE have reached out to the Toledo Police Department and Toledo Fire and Rescue Department for further comment.
The family, who reportedly did not have life insurance, is accepting donations to help with funeral costs. Donations can be made to the Coleman-McAllister Fund at any Fifth Third Bank location, according to WTVG.
