Sedona AZ (January 2, 2018) – The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office responded to a welfare check request and discovered four family members deceased inside a cabin.
On January 1, 2018 at 12:26 p.m., the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office received a telephone call from a friend of a family staying at a Parks, Arizona residence. The caller explained family members had been trying to contact them for a few days with no success and had become quite concerned. A welfare check on the family was asked.
At 1:17 p.m., a Coconino County Sheriff’s Deputy from the Williams Substation arrived at the Parks residence. A vehicle reported to belong to the family was in the cabin’s driveway. After approaching the residence, the deputy was stopped by a strong odor of gas coming from the home and requested additional units. The local Ponderosa Fire Department was notified and asked to respond to the scene.
At 1:43 p.m. Ponderosa Fire units arrived. Fire personnel put on protective breathing equipment to enter the cabin and found four members of a family deceased; 32-year-old Anthony Capitano, 32-year-old Meaghan Capitano, 4-year-old Lincoln Capitano, and 3-year-old Kingsley Capitano of El Mirage, AZ.
At this time, the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the incident as possible carbon monoxide poisoning. The county Medical Examiner’s Office will be conducting a further investigation.
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Update on Investigation of Family Death in Parks, AZ cabin:
Today investigators from the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office employed the assistance of a professional, licensed heating/cooling service provider to investigate the heating system of the cabin in which four people were found deceased yesterday.
The contractor found a significant failure in the heating system which would be consistent with carbon monoxide overcoming the residence.
The heating unit was the only gas appliance in the home. This provides additional evidence regarding a possible carbon monoxide related event. The manner and cause of death is still to be determined by the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office.
The Sheriff’s Office would like to recommend that people install not only smoke detectors, but also carbon monoxide detectors in your home. These need to be tested and inspected at the manufacturer’s recommended intervals.
The heating/cooling industry generally recommends that heaters are inspected yearly. If you have questions regarding your heating/cooling system, you are urged to contact a certified heating/cooling expert to check your system.
If you use wood stoves, be sure these also are annually serviced and cleaned.