Dad, 3-year-old daughter die in garage of car fumes
Just days ago, the family of three had moved into their new home on Palmers Lane in a sleepy section of Middletown Township, Delaware County.
Just days ago, the family of three had moved into their new home on Palmers Lane in a sleepy section of Middletown Township, Delaware County.
But tragedy struck before most of the neighbors even had a chance to introduce themselves.
Yesterday afternoon, the 38-year-old husband and father and his 3-year-old daughter were found dead inside their garage in what appears to be a case of accidental carbon-monoxide poisoning, police said.
State Police Cpl. Robert Reilly said the father had strapped the girl into her safety seat and was preparing to take her to day care, but apparently banged his head and was knocked unconscious while the vehicle was running.
When the man's wife returned home about 4 p.m., she found their bodies in the garage - her husband outside the driver-side door, her daughter in the SUV. Reilly said the carbon-monoxide level in the garage was "lethal."
"We don't know exactly what happened, but it appears that he started the truck, and then for whatever reason, he did bump his head and was found unconscious," he said, adding that the father had a pre-existing medical condition.
Police are awaiting autopsy results, but they say no foul play is suspected and do not believe that it was a murder-suicide.
They weren't releasing the name of the family last night.
