An Arizona family of four staying in a northern Arizona cabin was found dead on New Year’s Day. The Coconino County Sheriff’s Department believes the family died of possible carbon monoxide poisoning.
Police said the bodies, including those of two young children, were discovered Monday in Parks, Arizona. A friend of the family called the police after they didn’t return several phone calls. A sheriff’s deputy said she smelled gas when she approached the home.
Police have identified the El Mirage family as Anthony Capitano, 32, and Meaghan Capitano, 32, Lincoln Capitano, 4, and Kingsley Capitano, 3.
Coconino County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Jon Paxton said the best way to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning is with a detector.
“You can simply put them in an outlet,” Paxton said. “In addition to that it’s always a good idea to have your furnace checked either yearly or bi-yearly.”
More than 400 Americans die of carbon monoxide poisoning each year. And about 20,000 people go to the emergency room because of it, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
