BYRON TOWNSHIP, Mich. — Two people were found dead Tuesday afternoon inside a vehicle parked in a mobile home park in southern Kent County.
The unresponsive woman and teenage girl were reported by neighbors in the Maplewood Mobile Home Park off Division Avenue around 2:30 p.m. on March 24, said the Kent County Sheriff's Office. The 38-year-old and 16-year-old were mother and daughter, according to Sergeant Scott Dietrich.
The pair was found in a vehicle parked outside a home in the park. Investigators believe carbon monoxide poisoning contributed to their deaths.
Based on security camera footage, detectives determined the vehicle arrived in the park around 3 a.m. Tuesday morning. The mother and daughter were using the car to sleep in, due to an issue with their home, said the sheriff's office.
Investigators suspect this could be a case of accidental carbon monoxide poisoning, noting the vehicle's floorboards and exhaust system were in poor condition.
Carbon monoxide poisoning occurs when carbon monoxide (CO) builds up in your bloodstream. When you breath in too much CO, your body replaces the oxygen in your red blood cells with CO, which can lead to serious tissue damage, or even death.
When carbon monoxide builds up in your bloodstream, poisoning occurs. This poisoning can lead to tissue damage or death.
Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas produced by burning gasoline, wood, propane, charcoal or other fuel according to the Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. Improperly ventilated appliances and engines, particularly in a tightly sealed or enclosed space, may allow CO to accumulate to dangerous levels.
Anyone with information on this situation is encouraged to contact the Kent County Sheriff's Office at (616) 632-6125.
