Landlord indicted in deaths of 4 from carbon monoxide poisoning

4/1/2011
BLADE STAFF

A mourner shields a lighted candle at a prayer vigil held to remember Tamara McDaniel, 39; her son, Damien Reyes, 18; daughter, Domonique Reyes, 16, and daughter, Taralynn Wood, 10.
A mourner shields a lighted candle at a prayer vigil held to remember Tamara McDaniel, 39; her son, Damien Reyes, 18; daughter, Domonique Reyes, 16, and daughter, Taralynn Wood, 10.
The landlord of the home where four people - including a 10-year-old girl - died as a result of carbon monoxide poising was indicted Friday by a Lucas County grand jury with reckless homicide.

Steven Snow was charged with four counts of reckless homicide. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison.

Authorities said the landlord dropped off a gas-powered generator to hook up an electric heater in the home at the home at 1319 Hamilton St.

Killed were Tamara McDaniel, 39; her son, Damien Reyes, 18; daughter, Domonique Reyes, 16, and daughter, Taralynn Wood, 10. The four died from acute carbon monoxide poisoning, according to the Lucas County coroner.

They were pronounced dead at 10:30 a.m. March 23. The carbon monoxide levels in all four were in the 60 percent range; fatal levels in humans have been reported as low as 25 percent.

There were no carbon monoxide detectors in the house, authorities said.

The generator was hooked up in the kitchen. The family fell asleep on couches and the floor in the living room just feet away.

According to the Ohio Revised Code, reckless homicide is recklessly causing the death of another “when, with heedless indifference to the consequences, he perversely disregards a known risk that his conduct is likely to cause a certain result.”