Two dead children have been discovered in a house in Lower Franconia. According to dpa information, there may be carbon monoxide poisoning, the heating could have been defective. The police did not confirm this at first, they were investigating in all directions.
The first signs pointed to an accident in the house in Karlstein am Main, Bavaria, said police spokesman Philipp Hümmer on Monday. The bodies of the children should be autopsied on Monday to clarify the cause of death. A result should be available on Tuesday.
The children were siblings: a five-year-old girl and a four-year-old boy. Her 49-year-old father was injured and taken to a hospital. “The mother wasn’t there. The parents live separately,” said Hümmer, who drove to the site in the morning. A relative found the children in the house around 6:30 a.m. and alerted the emergency services. “The house is locked,” said Hummer. “Forensics are here.” In addition, forensic medicine and a public prosecutor are on site.
The very toxic carbon monoxide (CO) is a flammable, colorless and odorless gas. Among other things, it occurs when materials such as wood, coal or gas burn without sufficient oxygen, for example in closed rooms or with defective heating systems. CO can also be generated during the storage of wood pellets. Toxic exhaust fumes such as carbon monoxide are also produced by power generators, which are usually operated with diesel or petrol. Carbon monoxide blocks the transport of oxygen in the blood. Poisoning causes headaches, dizziness, nausea and unconsciousness – and in the worst case, death by suffocation. The symptoms are rarely noticed, especially during sleep.
The municipality of Karlstein is located on the Lower Main directly on the state border with Hesse. The children were found in the district of Dettingen. A total of 8075 people live in Karlstein according to the population registration office.
There are always cases of carbon monoxide poisoning. The death of six young people in a gazebo near Arnstein in Lower Franconia caused a nationwide sensation. The 18- and 19-year-olds died in January 2017 after unknowingly inhaling toxic gases from a gasoline-powered power generator. The device was not approved for indoor use, but was in the technical room of the arbor.