A father and his 10-year-old son in the northwestern Chicago suburb of Inverness died Sunday of apparent carbon monoxide poisoning inside their home, police said Monday afternoon.
According to a preliminary investigation from the Inverness Police Department, at 4:20 p.m. Sunday, police responded to a call of an "unknown problem" in the 2200 block of Palatine Road.
Upon arrival at the home, officers met with a female who indicated that her estranged husband and father of their two children, ages 10 and 6, did not return the children at the scheduled time following a visitation.
According to officials, the woman then located her estranged husband and children, all unconscious, inside the home. Authorities say the father, 41, and the son, 10, were both pronounced dead at the scene. The daughter, 6, was transported to a nearby hospital and was last listed in critical condition.
According to the Inverness Police Department, "it appears the victims were overcome by carbon monoxide poisoning from a generator inside the home."
The Cook County Medical Examiner has identified the father as Woo Chang, and the son as Austin Chang. According to the examiner, autopsies are scheduled for Monday.
In a statement to NBC 5, Community Consolidated School District 15 confirmed Austin was a student at Frank C. Whiteley Elementary School.
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"It is with a very heavy heart that we confirm the student who passed away over the weekend was part of the District 15 community," a statement from district read Monday. "The District is simply heartsick, and in both shock and mourning over the tragic loss of one of our students," the statement continued.
"It goes without saying that this is a devastating loss for all of us here in District 15, especially as we look to the remainder of the school year where the child’s absence will be felt by classmates and staff."
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This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
