Police: Carbon monoxide killed 7 family members found dead in Moorhead home

FARGO, N.D. (Valley News Live) - The Moorhead Police Department says carbon monoxide is the cause of death in the Dec. 18 incident that left seven dead.

Police previously identified the victims as 37-year-old Belin Hernandez, his wife 34-year-old Marleny Pinto, and the couple’s three children 16-year-old Breylin, 7-year-old Mike and 5-year-old Marbely. Also inside the home was the couple’s niece 19-year-old Mariela Pinto, and Belin’s brother, 32-year-old Eldor Hernandez. MPD is listing two possible culprits of where the carbon monoxide came from.

MPD says that the carbon monoxide could have come from the furnace located inside the garage, as well as a vehicle in the garage. Experts are still working to determine which of the two are responsible for the family’s death, which MPD says could take up to eight weeks. Officials say they worked with the state fire marshal and an HVAC professional, but couldn’t get the furnace to recreate a malfunction where carbon monoxide would enter the home. The vehicle was found with a dead battery and half a tank of gas, police said. Officials say there wasn’t any indication that the van was being worked on.

Officials say detectives found a carbon monoxide detector inside the home that was detached from the wall with the battery removed.

Police say this remains an open investigation.

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