Merrillville, IN – Two children and their parents were found dead of apparent carbon monoxide poisoning inside their home in Merrillville in northwest Indiana, officials said.
Morgan Nichols, 11, Matthew Nichols, 13, Kennetha Purnell, 38, and Michael Nichols, 41, were found around 5:30 p.m. Wednesday by police who were checking on the family in the 800 block of West 70th Avenue, officials said.
The family had just moved into the house Saturday and utilities had not been turned on, police said. They apparently were overcame by fumes from a gas generator.
Extension cords snaked from the generator in the garage and through a doorway into the first floor of the two-story house. The cords were connected to the refrigerator, lamps and space heaters inside the house, and the overhead door to garage door was pulled down, sealing in the exhaust fumes from the generator.
“It appears it was just horrible mistake,” said Merrillville Police Cmdr. Jeff Rice.
Police entered the house after a concerned relative said they had been unable to reach members of the family for several days. Purnell and Nichols had not been at work, Rice said.
Police entered the house Wednesday night to find the generator out of gas. The children and Purnell lay dead in their beds. Nichols’ body lay in a hallway on the second floor, Rice said.
Purnell’s father, Kenneth Purnell, 63, said his daughter worked at Chicago State University and was devoted to her children’s education.
She had them in different programs after school and they were getting educated like her and she was doing good,” Purnell said. “I just don’t know don’t how something like this had to happen. I’m really shocked.
Morgan and Matthew were pronounced dead at 7:03 p.m. at the home,according to the Lake County coroner’s office. Nichols and Purnell were pronounced dead about the same time.