Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Ruled Out In Twin Infants' Deaths: Report

LINDENWOLD, NJ — Fire officials were initially called to the apartment complex in which twin seven-month-old girls were found unresponsive earlier this week, but the call was canceled, according to a published report.

Lindenwold Fire Chief Michael Nolan told nj.com that if carbon monoxide poisoning were suspected to be the cause of death, his department would've been asked to investigate the scene with meters.

Police were dispatched to the 5100 building of the Pines Apartment Complex on Bilper Avenue around 8 a.m.Wednesday morning in response to a 911 call.

The girls were pronounced dead by Dr. Adrienne Rigueur of Virtua Hospital via telemetry at about 8:30 a.m.
The parents have not been identified, and the cause of death is not known, but the mother said during a 9-1-1 call that they had turned purple.

Rutgers University-Camden Director of Forensics and Associate Teaching Professor Kimberlee Moran told the website that carbon monoxide poisoning is probably not suspected in the deaths. When victims turn a purple or blue color, it’s a sign of oxygen deprivation in the blood. Victims of carbon monoxide poisoning would have lips that turn cherry red.

On Thursday, a pediatrician told Patch it was very unlikely that both children died of SIDS, a condition that can cause the sudden death of sleeping infants.

The Camden County Prosecutor’s Office has not provided a timeline as to when the autopsy results will be available. Spokeswoman Alexandra McVeigh has only said results are pending the conclusion of forensics testing.