Tragic Carbon Monoxide Death Rocks Byron Township Mobile Home Park as Mother and 16-Year-Old Daughter Found Dead in Vehicle
A 38-year-old mother and her 16-year-old daughter were found dead in a vehicle at a Byron Township mobile home park. The Kent County Medical Examiner confirmed both victims died from carbon monoxide poisoning after the vehicle ran for hours in an unventilated space.
Two Lives Cut Short in What Investigators Call Accidental Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
BYRON TOWNSHIP, Mich. — A devastating tragedy unfolded Tuesday afternoon in southern Kent County when a 38-year-old mother and her 16-year-old daughter were found dead inside a vehicle parked at the Maplewood Mobile Home Park.
The Kent County Medical Examiner's Office has confirmed that both victims died from carbon monoxide poisoning, according to a preliminary investigation released Wednesday.
Nicole Moore, 38, and Kyli Grace Dodge, 16, were discovered unresponsive in the car around 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, said Kent County Sheriff's Office Sergeant Scott Dietrich.
A Family Devastated by Sudden Loss
Moore and Dodge's family says the pair had been temporarily using the vehicle to sleep because of an unspecified problem with their mobile home. Investigators believe the two had been dead for several hours before neighbors discovered them.
"I still can't believe she's actually gone, my mind wants me to think she is back in the trailer right now," Moore's son, Jayden Dodge, told News Channel 3.
Moore's aunt, Sheri Dannah, shared her grief, saying she would miss doing her niece's hair.
"She would always ask me to do her hair and I am not going to be able to do that or do her hair for her wedding," Dannah said.
Dodge, the aunt added, had a bright future ahead of her.
"She would have wanted me too," Jayden Dodge said about his mother. "I am really going to miss them."
Exhaust Warning Led to Discovery
According to Kent County Sergeant Scott Dietrich, there was a "huge smell" of exhaust when first responders arrived at the scene that afternoon.
"It's just one of those things where it was a complete freak accident," Dietrich said. "The vehicle sitting there, running for hours and just let that carbon monoxide seep into the vehicle."
The investigation determined the vehicle had arrived at the mobile home park around 3 a.m. Tuesday morning based on security camera footage.
Victim Details
Nicole Moore, 38, was the mother and primary victim. Kyli Grace Dodge, 16, was her daughter. Moore had returned home early Tuesday morning from a trip to Tennessee, according to family sources.
Moore's son Jayden Dodge told investigators his mother had been talking with Kyli about moving when they both fell asleep in the car.
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Explained
Carbon monoxide poisoning is a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas produced by burning gasoline, wood, propane, charcoal or other fuel. According to Michigan's Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, improperly ventilated appliances and engines, particularly in tightly sealed or enclosed spaces, may allow CO to accumulate to dangerous levels.
"When carbon monoxide builds up in your bloodstream, poisoning occurs," Dietrich explained. "When you breathe in too much CO, your body replaces the oxygen in the red blood cells with CO, which can lead to serious tissue damage, or even death."
Ongoing Investigation
The Kent County Sheriff's Office is investigating the circumstances that led to the deaths. The vehicle's floorboards and exhaust system were in poor condition, according to investigators.
Anyone with information about this situation is encouraged to contact the Kent County Sheriff's Office at 616-632-6125.
This case serves as a grim reminder of the dangers of sleeping in vehicles, especially in poorly ventilated spaces. Carbon monoxide poisoning is a leading cause of accidental death in Michigan, according to state health officials.
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