Minnesota family of 7, including 3 children, died of apparent accidental carbon monoxide poisoning, police say

The Ramsey County Medical Examiner’s Office concluded in its preliminary results that the bodies of all seven seemed to be red in color, which is consistent with carbon monoxide toxicity, Chief Shannon Monroe of the Moorhead Police Department said in a news conference. Lab results of blood samples also confirmed the cause of death, he added.

According to police, those who died on Saturday are Belin Hernandez, 37, and his 34-year-old wife Marleny Pinto. Their children Breylin Hernandez, 16; Mike Hernandez, 7; Marbely Hernandez, 5; also died in the incident, Monroe said.

“Unless we find something else yet later in the investigation, right now it is pointing toward some kind of accidental situation,” Monroe said.

The investigation into the deaths revealed that there were two known sources of carbon monoxide — a furnace and a vehicle that was parked in the garage’s home, police explained. Detectives located a detached carbon monoxide detector, and a smoke-only detector was in its place instead, Monroe said.

Investigators are also conducting additional testing to determine whether carbon monoxide originated from the exhaust of the vehicle, which family members said had some mechanical issues related to the battery, authorities said. Police found the vehicle with a dead battery and a half gas tank, according to Monroe.

Moorhead is in Clay County, just across the Red River from Fargo, North Dakota.