Coast Guard veteran, wife and two children found dead inside Florida home
A Coast Guard veteran, his wife and two children were found dead inside a Florida home in what investigators believe may have been a case of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Deputies with the Marion County Sheriff’s Office said on Facebook that they responded to a residence on Banyan Track Way around 10:25 p.m. on Saturday for a welfare check and discovered the family deceased inside the home.
The victims were identified as 33-year-old Yohan Sanchez, 37-year-old Rebeca Santos, 15-year-old Michael Melendez and 2-year-old Samuel Sanchez.
Authorities suspect the deaths are the result of carbon monoxide exposure, though the official cause of death is pending confirmation from the Medical Examiner’s Office.
The Sheriff’s Office said no foul play is suspected, and the investigation is ongoing.
Fox 35 Orlando spoke with Sanchez’s mother and brother, who said the family is struggling to process the sudden loss.
Jackie Soto told the outlet that she had just spoken with her son by phone the night before he died.
She said their conversation was short and routine, and he was baking a cake at the time.
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"I don’t believe it. This is my baby," Soto said.
Sanchez’s brother, Sendy, said his brother and sister-in-law met through their church in Massachusetts and moved to Florida about a year ago.
He described Sanchez as deeply committed to his family, faith and public service.
"Nobody’s expecting this type of tragedy," he told Fox 35. "We’re just devastated."
The local station reported that the U.S. Coast Guard is covering funeral costs for Sanchez, but not for his wife or children.
Coast Guard funeral benefits typically apply only to service members, meaning arrangements for family members are left to relatives.