Woman dead, child critical after carbon monoxide poisoning

GARY, Ind. (AP) - Authorities say an elderly Gary woman died and a young girl was in critical condition after they apparently suffered carbon monoxide poisoning in the northwestern Indiana city.

Gary Fire Department spokesman Mark Jones says crews called Wednesday afternoon to a home found an oven was on. Firefighters discovered high carbon monoxide readings and two people inside who were in cardiac arrest.

The (Northwest Indiana) Times reports that the Lake County coroner says 72-year-old Tina Hoskins died at a hospital. WLS-TV reports the 5-year-old girl was airlifted to a Chicago hospital.

Jones says the home's oven was apparently being used to help heat the home. The TV station reports, however, that the home had furnace problems that were being repaired.

Jones says the source of the carbon monoxide remains under investigation.