Overview
- A Toledo grandmother and her four grandchildren were found unresponsive inside an SUV after it pulled over with a flat tire, and the children's father called 911 when he arrived.
- Investigators said the vehicle's engine was left running while the family waited and that a meter placed inside the passenger compartment recorded carbon monoxide about five times the lethal limit.
- Officials have impounded the Ford Explorer for additional testing and are treating the case as a mechanical accident with no evidence of foul play.
- One child was placed on life support and later taken off at the family's request, and the mother has set up a fund to cover funeral expenses because the family had no life insurance.
- Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless gas that can accumulate quickly when exhaust leaks into a closed cabin, and investigators are working to determine how exhaust entered the vehicle so authorities can issue safety guidance if needed.