2015 — March 28-29,[1] Carbon Monoxide Poisoning, family home, Princess Anne, MD–8

— 8  Baltimore Sun. “Somerset Co. schools grieving deaths of seven students and…father.” 4-8-2015.

— 8  CBS Baltimore. “8 Deaths in Home Bring Scrutiny of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning.” 4-8-2015.

— 8  CBS Baltimore. “Police: [CO] Poisoning is Cause of Death for Md. Family.” 4-7-2015.

— 8  Fox News. “Father, 7 kids killed by carbon monoxide poisoning, police say.” 4-7-2015.

— 8  Herald Mail. “Authorities warn of [CO] danger after death of Maryland family.” 4-8-2015, A17.

 

April 7, CBS Baltimore: “Princess Anne, Md. (WJZ)… Carbon monoxide claims the lives of a father [Rodney Todd, 36] and his seven children–all found dead inside their home. It’s been more than a week since they were last seen alive in Princess Anne on the lower Eastern Shore…. It had been days since anyone heard from 36-year-old Todd. School officials even showed up to the home to look for the kids–five of whom went to the same school–Princess Anne Elementary. Todd’s friends and family begged for help, and police eventually busted into the home….Police say they found a generator inside the home with no gas in the tank, along with the seven children and their father all in sleeping positions. ‘The power was off in the house, and they were in different rooms in beds,’ said Chief Scott Keller, Princess Anne Police Department. Police say Delmarva Power has been subpoenaed to show exactly when power was cut off to the home.

 

“Maryland laws prohibit companies from turning off electric for non-payment of bills November through March….Delmarva power released a statement late Tuesday afternoon, saying they discovered a stolen electric meter was being used at the home. That’s when they disconnected the meter for safety reasons, but they never disconnected service for non-payment….

 

“Bonnie Edwards told the AP the children are Cameron, 13, and Zycheim, 7; and girls Tynijuiza, 15; Tykira, 12; Tybree, 10; Tyania, 9; and Tybria, 6.” (CBS Baltimore. “Police: Carbon Monoxide Poisoning is Cause of Death for Md. Family.” 4-7-2015.)

 

April 7, Fox News: “….Lloyd Edwards told The Associated Press that his stepson, 36-year-old Rodney Todd, had bought a generator after the power was shut off to the home in Princess Anne, about 60 miles southeast of Annapolis….Todd was a utility worker at the nearby University of Maryland Eastern Shore, said his supervisor Stephanie Wells. Wells, who hadn’t seen Todd since March 28, said she went to the house Monday morning and knocked on the door, but no one answered. She filed a missing-person report with police.

 

“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says unintentional exposure to carbon monoxide caused an average of 430 deaths per year nationwide between 1999 and 2010….” (Fox News. “Father, 7 kids killed by carbon monoxide poisoning, police say.” 4-7-2015.)

 

April 8, Baltimore Sun: “….Princess Anne police were called to the family’s home Monday after Todd’s supervisor at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore where Todd worked in dining services — grew concerned because he had not talked to him since March 28. Inside, they found all eight family members dead and it appeared they had gone to sleep for the night and never work up, police said….

 

“Delmarva Power said the home had been without service since March 25, when workers discovered a stolen electric meter and shut off power for “safety reasons.” The utility originally disconnected power there in October, before the Todds began renting the home, and Delmarva said no request had been made to reconnect service….” (Baltimore Sun. “Somerset County schools grieving deaths of seven students and their father.” 4-8-2015.)

 

April 8, CBS Baltimore: “Princess Anne, Md. (WJZ) – Authorities are continuing to investigate the death of eight family members due to carbon monoxide poisoning on Maryland’s Eastern Shore…[an] illegal theft of electricity…set this tragedy in motion. They had been dead for days when Rodney Todd and the bodies of his seven children were found in a rental home in Princess Anne Monday afternoon [April 6], victims of carbon monoxide poisoning.

 

“It all started with the ping of an electric smart meter on March 25th. ‘Why was this meter exhibiting electric usage? Found that it had been re-installed at another house, re-installed illegally, and was using electricity illegally,’ said Matt Likovich, Delmarva Power. So Delmarva technicians removed the meter and cut off power. It was never a matter of a bill not being paid. Delmarva says it was also a safety issue. That’s when Rodney Todd apparently made the mistake of his life, in an effort to keep his children warm during a late March cold snap. Police believe he turned to a gasoline powered portable generator and against all warnings, used it inside the home….

 

“These deaths are now prompting state legislation on two possible fronts. A law expanding use of carbon monoxide detectors. “These devices, find their way into rental properties. New construction’s there, hotels are along the way, but we’re going to be looking at how we can retrofit rental properties with these devices,” said Sen. Jim Mathias….

 

“Records show Rodney Todd did receive assistance with utility bills in the past, but had not applied for help this year.” (CBS Baltimore. “8 Deaths in Home Bring Scrutiny of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning.” 4-8-2015.)

Sources

 

Baltimore Sun. “Somerset County schools grieving deaths of seven students and their father.” 4-8-2015. Accessed 4-8-2015 at: http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/bs-md-carbon-monoxide-folo-20150408-story.html

 

CBS Baltimore. “8 Deaths in Home Bring Scrutiny of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning.” 4-8-2015. Accessed 4-8-2015 at: http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2015/04/08/8-deaths-in-home-bring-scrutiny-of-carbon-monoxide-poisoning/

 

CBS Baltimore. “Police: Carbon Monoxide Poisoning is Cause of Death for Md. Family.” 4-7-2015. Accessed 4-8-2015 at: http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2015/04/07/police-8-dead-in-home-generator-found-without-gas/

 

Fox News. “Father, 7 kids killed by carbon monoxide poisoning, police say.” 4-7-2015. Accessed 4-8-2015 at: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2015/04/07/adult-and-7-children-found-dead-in-maryland-home-police-say/

 

Herald Mail, Hagerstown, MD. “Authorities warn of carbon-monoxide danger after death of Maryland family.” 4-8-2015, A17.

[1] Our dating based on report that family members were last seen alive on Saturday March 28, and children did not appear at school on Monday, March 30.