WAKEFIELD, NH – A Massachusetts family of four was found dead on Christmas Day in their New Hampshire lake home after their propane heating system appeared to have failed, poisoning them with carbon monoxide gas overnight, authorities said Friday.
Matthew Goldstein, 52, was an elementary school teacher in Chestnut Hill and his wife Lyla Goldstein, 54, was a project manager at Microsoft. Their daughters, Valerie, 22, who was also a teacher, and Violet, 19, a college student, also died in the crash. The family lived in Newton, Massachusetts, and was visiting New Hampshire over the Christmas holidays.
Investigators said they have not yet discovered what caused the apparent carbon monoxide leak from the propane heating system.
New Hampshire Fire Chief Sean Toomey said no carbon monoxide alarms were found in the home and urged people to install and maintain such alarms.
“This has been a terribly tragic year for both fire deaths and carbon monoxide deaths,” Toomey said. “Losing an entire family of four right at the peak of the holiday season impacts us even more.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention describes carbon monoxide as a colorless, odorless gas that can kill without warning. The CDC said more than 400 Americans die each year from unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning unrelated to fires, while another 14,000 are hospitalized.
Police arrived at the home in the town of Wakefield at around 4.20pm on Christmas Day after the family failed to turn up as expected at an extended family gathering. Other family members had attempted to send messages and call each of the four, Toomey said. Those family members then called police, who conducted a welfare check, he said.
Toomey said police found three of the victims in bedrooms and the fourth in a bathroom, and that authorities suspect they died during the night. When firefighters arrived, they found the home had elevated levels of carbon monoxide, Toomey said, adding that the deaths were believed to be accidental.
The New Hampshire Office of the Chief Medical Examiner completed an autopsy on Matthew Goldstein and found the cause of death to be carbon monoxide poisoning. Autopsies on the other three victims have not yet been completed.
Matthew Goldstein taught eighth grade at Edith C. Baker School near Boston, serving the Chestnut Hill and South Brookline neighborhoods of Brookline.
“Sir. Goldstein’s dedication to inspiring students and shaping young minds has left an indelible mark on all who had the privilege of knowing him. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends, colleagues and students during this deeply difficult time “Brookline Public Schools Superintendent Linus Guillory said in a statement.
Matthew Goldstein had also performed in many plays for the Newton Theater Company.
Lyla Goldstein’s LinkedIn profile indicated that she had worked at Microsoft for more than 16 years and for the past four years had been a senior project manager, focusing on projects involving data and artificial intelligence.
Valerie Goldstein’s LinkedIn profile said she was working as a fifth-grade teacher in eastern North Carolina, in the first year of a Teach for America commitment after graduating from Syracuse University. He said in his profile that he hoped for a future career in education policy and advocacy.
Violet Goldstein was a freshman at the Rhode Island School of Design, said school president Crystal Williams.
“I know you join me in feeling deep anguish at the loss of such a promising young member of our community, along with his family, on what should have been a joyous occasion,” Williams wrote in an email to the community. from school.
Tax records indicate the house, at the north end of Balch Lake, was owned by the couple. A listing on Redfin says the home, which includes a pool and dock, was recently renovated and had a new, efficient heating system.
Temperatures in Wakefield on Christmas Day hit a low of about 13 degrees Fahrenheit (-11 degrees Celsius).
Toomey said investigators believe the home’s heating system failed, allowing carbon monoxide to escape outside the normal ventilation system. He said leaks can occur when there is not efficient combustion in propane, oil or wood heating systems.
In addition to having alarms, he said, people should make sure their chimneys are routinely cleaned and their systems maintained. They should also check during the winter that vents are not blocked by snow or ice, he said.
