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“They all had so much personality in life and were so full of love,” Adriana Coleman, the children’s mother, said
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 foul play
Four children and their grandmother have died after being exposed to carbon monoxide, authorities said.
The children, identified as Liberty, 4, Storm, 3, Legacy, 4, and Stone, 2, alongside their 36-year-old grandmother Candace McAllister, are suspected to have been exposed to the hazardous chemical while they were inside a vehicle that got a flat tire on Wednesday, July 15, according to local outlet WTVG, which cited the Toledo Police Department.
The children’s mother, Adriana Coleman, opened up 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 far beyond their years, for sure.”
“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 walk out these hospital doors. I just want my babies.”
Toledo Police initially announced an “active hazmat incident” on the 300 block of Phillips Ave. in Toledo, Ohio, in a social media post on Wednesday. Toledo Police and the Toledo Fire & Rescue Department both responded to the incident.
“The detective said when they put their 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 continue to be with the family and loved ones affected by this heartbreaking tragedy,” Toledo Police spokesperson Sgt. Mohamad Nasser said in a statement obtained by WTVG.
Authorities said that 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 all five people unconscious in the vehicle and promptly called emergency services.
“They started rendering life-saving treatments to all the patients as 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, per WTVG.
“Carbon monoxide poisoning occurs when carbon monoxide builds up in the blood,” according to the Mayo Clinic. “When too much carbon monoxide is in the air, carbon monoxide replaces 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 ever have to endure,” Kapszukiewicz’s statement began.
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“Our hearts are with this family as they face an unimaginable loss,” he wrote.
“While investigators do not currently suspect foul play, law enforcement will conduct a thorough investigation to determine exactly what happened and provide the family with the answers they deserve,” Kapszukiewicz continued.
PEOPLE has reached out to the Toledo Police Department and the Toledo Fire & Rescue Department for further comment.
The family, who allegedly had no life insurance, is accepting donations to assist with funeral costs. The donations can be made to the Coleman-McAllister Fund at any Fifth Third Bank location, according to WTVG.
Read the original article on People
