Tragic Deaths at Maplewood Mobile Home Park

BYRON TOWNSHIP, Mich. — A devastating tragedy unfolded Tuesday afternoon at the Maplewood Mobile Home Park in Byron Township, Kent County, when a mother and her teenage daughter were found dead inside a parked vehicle.

Kent County authorities believe the pair died from accidental carbon monoxide poisoning, with no indication of foul play at this time.

The Kent County Sheriff's Office is investigating what led up to the death of a woman and teenage girl inside a vehicle parked in a mobile home park in southern Kent County.

The Discovery

Around 2:30 p.m. on March 24, 2026, neighbors reported the unresponsive bodies to the Kent County Sheriff's Office. The victims were found in a vehicle parked outside a home in the Maplewood Mobile Home Park off Division Avenue in Byron Township.

Sergeant Scott Dietrich with the sheriff's office confirmed the identities of the deceased. The 38-year-old woman and her 16-year-old daughter had been reported by residents in the mobile home park.

Based on security camera footage, detectives determined the vehicle arrived in the park around 3 a.m. Tuesday morning.

Carbon Monoxide Suspected

Investigators arrived on the scene and detected a strong exhaust smell emanating from the vehicle. The Kent County Sheriff's Office believes carbon monoxide poisoning contributed to the deaths.

Investigators suspect this could be a case of accidental carbon monoxide poisoning, noting the vehicle's floorboards and exhaust system were in poor condition.

Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas produced by burning gasoline, wood, propane, charcoal or other fuel. Improperly ventilated appliances and engines, particularly in a tightly sealed or enclosed space, may allow CO to accumulate to dangerous levels.

When carbon monoxide builds up in the bloodstream, it replaces oxygen in the red blood cells with CO, which can lead to serious tissue damage or even death.

The Vehicle Had a Fatal Flaw

According to security camera footage and police investigation, the vehicle that killed Nicole Marie Moore and Kyli Grace Dodge had serious mechanical issues that investigators believe directly led to their deaths.

The officers over here tell me that the carbon [monoxide] went way beyond the capability of what their machine was, Linda Fillipo said.

The vehicle was found to have an exhaust system and floorboards in poor condition. Investigators believe carbon monoxide may have seeped through the floorboards into the car, creating a deadly situation when the mother and daughter slept in the vehicle.

Family Tragedy

Bobby and Linda Fillipo, Nicole's grandparents and Kyli's great-grandparents, shared the heartbreaking story with 13 ON YOUR SIDE. The family had just returned from a car trip to Tennessee earlier that morning.

She came in about, probably about three or four, from Tennessee, Bobby remembered. She went down to see her new boyfriend.

But the family knew something was wrong with the vehicle. Bobby had warned them about the dangerous exhaust system when they first acquired the Honda SUV.

She just bought the car, Sherri Dannah, one of Nicole and Kyli's relatives, said. She bought it from a guy right here in the park. Guy brought the car here, and I brought it down to take a look at it. I said but you have a bad exhaust. It gets loud and it finally dies down a little bit. You've got carbon monoxide coming in. You gotta get that fixed before you leave.

But the family was in a hurry. Nicole had just purchased the vehicle and was eager to start her new chapter of life. The family says they wanted her to do better for herself and her children.

She was in a hurry to go and she was ready to go into the next chapter of her life. Do better for her and her kids, Linda said.

Current Status

The Kent County Medical Examiner's Office will conduct autopsies to determine the official cause and manner of death. The investigation is ongoing, and authorities are asking anyone with information that could help move the investigation forward to contact the Kent County Sheriff's Office at 616-632-6125 or submit a tip online at Kentcountymi.gov/tips.

Anyone with information on this situation is encouraged to contact the Kent County Sheriff's Office at 616-632-6125.

A Tragic Warning

This devastating tragedy serves as a grim reminder of the dangers of sleeping in vehicles with mechanical problems. Carbon monoxide poisoning occurs when carbon monoxide builds up in your bloodstream, replacing oxygen in the red blood cells with CO, which can lead to serious tissue damage or death.

The Fillipo family's top priority now is to ensure everything is provided for Nicole's surviving children, as they navigate this unbearable loss.

They just got tired and went and laid back and I guess they went to sleep, because of the carbon [monoxide] coming in, Bobby said.

The family pleads with others to never ignore mechanical issues with their vehicles. The car the family had just bought from another resident in the park had a fatal flaw that investigators now believe directly caused Nicole and Kyli's deaths.