Maricel Martinez, 47, a Spanish teacher at St. Albert the Great Catholic School in Huntingdon Valley, her husband, Jorge Cardona, 56, a cleaner at Springfield Township High School, and their daughter, Angelina Cardona, 12, were found unresponsive inside their Northeast Philadelphia home on Thursday, February 15.
NBC10 reported that police believe the family lost consciousness from carbon monoxide poisoning. All three victims were pronounced dead at 1:40pm.
A St. Albert spokesperson said the family died due to complications from a gas leak inside the home.
“When we arrived on scene yes, there were high levels of carbon monoxide in the house,” Acting Philadelphia Fire Commissioner Craig Murphy said. “And our members with the equipment that they took into the house to do the wellness check, alarms started going off on the meters that they carry in the house, and yes, there were high levels of carbon monoxide in the house.”
Martinez and Cardona hadn’t been seen at work as colleagues were trying to make contact since Monday.
Angelina was a student in the 5th grade at St. Albert.
“We will remember Mrs. Martinez as a gifted Spanish teacher, wonderful mother, and true friend to our community,” a St. Albert spokesperson wrote. “Angelina, a proud member of this year’s 5th grade class, will be remembered by many here as a bright, spirited, and always smiling student, who had a passion for drawing and reading.”
Murphy said firefighters were first called to the home around 1:00on for a medical run.
“I can confirm that Mr. Cardona worked for many years in our schools,” Dr. MaryJo Yannacone, superintendent of the Springfield Township School District, wrote. “He was a well respected and much beloved member of the Springfield community and we are devastated at the tragic loss of his life and those of his wife and daughter.”
The investigation is ongoing and the source of the carbon monoxide is unknown, officials said. For NBC10’s video coverage, you can watch below:
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Screengrab: NBC10