Car exhaust kills girl, sickens mother

All her mother wanted to do was keep her warm on a chilly winter night.

St. George police said a leaky exhaust system in a car caused a 6-year-old girl to go into a seizure, lose consciousness and die from what is believed to be carbon monoxide poisoning early Thursday morning.

"This is just a real tragedy," said St. George police detective Jonathon McInnes.

The girl's mother was also hospitalized briefly for carbon monoxide poisoning symptoms.

Police said the mother and daughter, originally from Tucson, Ariz., were traveling to Provo Wednesday afternoon when their 1997 Hyundai Tiburon developed car problems.

"En route from Las Vegas to Provo, she hears a loud noise in the engine and pulls off into St. George, where she has a son," McInnes said.

Investigators said the mother drove to two auto shops, where she was told the car's exhaust system needed to be repaired. The first shop didn't do exhaust repairs, and the second said the problem might have been a recalled part.

"She was going to check with the dealer," McInnes said.

The woman then drove to an apartment complex near 200 South and 1000 East where her son lived.

"She's sitting in the vehicle because her son is not here," McInnes said. "It's the middle of the night, it's dark and it's cold. She fires up the car for a few minutes to warm them up."

About 1:30 a.m. Thursday, the daughter began to have seizures, the mother told officers. The woman ran from the car and began banging on doors to try and get help. A neighbor called 911, and police and paramedics responded.

"When the officers first arrived, they noticed her to be a bit off," McInnes said of the mother. "The carbon monoxide level in her blood was quite high."

Both mother and daughter were rushed to Dixie Regional Medical Center to be treated for carbon monoxide poisoning.

"The victim died shortly after arrival at DRMC," St. George Police Capt. Barry Golding said Thursday. "The victim's body has been sent to the Utah medical examiner for autopsy to determine the exact cause of death."

The mother was treated and released from the hospital. Police were withholding the names of the girl and her mother while they notified other family members.

Investigators have concluded that there was nothing criminal or negligent on the mother's part. McInnes said he retraced the woman's steps and spoke to the mechanics who tried to help her.

"Her intent was to get it fixed, but she wanted to try every option to get it under warranty," he said.

The exhaust system was not under recall, police said.

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E-mail: bwinslow@desnews.com