Woman dies of carbon monoxide poisoning in group home

HOBART, Ind. (AP) — A woman who lived in a group home for the developmentally disabled died after carbon monoxide filled the home, sickening its four other residents, police said.
Toby Sandilla, 55, was pronounced dead at the scene Saturday morning after officers arrived and found all five of the home’s occupants either asleep or unconscious due to “extremely high levels of carbon monoxide,” Hobart police said in a news release.
Two police officers who entered the home to assist were also overcome by the colorless, odorless gas and were taken to a local hospital for treatment.
“It’s a terrible accident. All the people who know the (victims) are devastated,” said Kris Prohl, executive director of ArcBRIDGES of Gary, the nonprofit group that operates the home.
Prohl said the home was equipped with a carbon monoxide detector and that an investigation will determine whether it was working properly. [Probably one of the "cheap" CO detectors you can get from Home Depot or Lowes...yet another example of "spend the money and get a GOOD detector. Take a look at the Pocket CO at www.transducertech.com.]
It was unclear why carbon monoxide filled the home. Experts say carbon monoxide often comes from an improperly operating furnace, water heater or stove.
The Lake County coroner’s office has not officially ruled that Sandilla’s death was from carbon monoxide poisoning because an autopsy and toxicology tests are pending.
ArcBRIDGES operates 29 state-licensed homes in northwestern Indiana to assist people who have developmental disabilities with daily living, Prohl said.
Neighbor Jen Lederman said the home’s occupants were rarely seen and typically only came outside when they boarded a daily bus to take them to their jobs.
“They were very nice people. You never had any problems with them,” Lederman said.