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19-year-old Michigan couple found dead of carbon monoxide poisoning after sleeping at vacant house

5-month-old baby boy taken to hospital for treatment

Carbon monoxide alarm (Santeri Viinamäki -- Wikimedia)

BATTLE CREEK, Mich. – A young Michigan couple was found dead Wednesday from carbon monoxide poisoning after they slept in a vacant home with a gas generator, officials said.

Battle Creek police and firefighters learned about the couple at 8:14 a.m. Wednesday. They went to the home in the 2000 block of SW Capital Avenue and found a 19-year-old Bronson man and a 19-year-old Coldwater woman dead.

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A 5-month-old boy was also at the home and was taken to a hospital for treatment, officials said. The baby belonged to the 19-year-old couple, police said.

According to authorities, the house was being remodeled by a friend of the homeowner, and the 19-year-old man was helping. He, the 19-year-old woman and the baby were brought to the house Tuesday but were supposed to sleep elsewhere, officials said.

The couple and their baby had set up a temporary bed inside the house, and there was a gas generator and kerosene forced air heater that appeared to have been used overnight, according to authorities.

The man working on the house arrived Wednesday morning, found the couple and called 911, police said.

Carbon monoxide levels were 700 ppm on the first floor and 900 ppm on the second floor, officials said. Standard carbon monoxide detectors go off at 35 ppm. and 400 ppm can cause death, firefighters said.

Nobody else was found at the house, police said.

Investigators said there was no foul play. A city building inspector went to the home and didn't find any violations, officials said.

The homeowner confirmed work was being done on the house, authorities said. The man working on the home said he had been using the generator and heater during the day.


About the Author
Derick Hutchinson headshot

Derick is the Lead Digital Editor for ClickOnDetroit and has been with Local 4 News since April 2013. Derick specializes in breaking news, crime and local sports.

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