Crime & Safety
Fatal New Tampa Carbon Monoxide Poisoning An Accident, Officials Say
Child protection investigator Rebecca Hawk, 23, died after her neighbor at the Vista Grande at Tampa Palms apartment complex left a car running in a garage overnight.
The death of a woman at her New Tampa apartment was an accident, according to the Tampa Police Department and the State Attorney's Office, who have concluded their investigation into the case.
Rebecca Hawk, a 23-year-old child protection investigator trainee with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, died after being when her neighbor left his car running in his garage overnight at the Vista Grande Apartments, according to Tampa Police.
“Tampa Police homicide detectives met with the State Attorney's Office and determined the carbon monoxide poisoning was tragic accident and no crime occurred,” said the Tampa Police Department in a statement Friday.
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The incident occurred Sept. 1 at the Vista Grande at Tampa Palms apartment complex. According to police, a maintenance worker smelled an odor shortly before 9:30 a.m. outside building 900 — and perhaps saved others from being poisoned.
"He recognized the odor and immediately began evacuating residents while the manager called 911," a news release stated. "Tampa Police detectives have determined the owner of a 2011 gray, 5-door Mazda 3 left his car running in the garage."