A community in Massachusetts is heartbroken over the tragic loss of four family members who seemingly fell victim to carbon monoxide poisoning at a vacation home in New Hampshire on Christmas Day.
Concerned relatives reached out to the police for a welfare check on the Goldsteins when they didn’t arrive for their holiday get-together. Authorities responded around 4:21 p.m. on Wednesday and discovered four adults who had sadly passed away inside the house in Wakefield, located about 45 miles northeast of Concord, the state capital.
The deceased have been identified as Matthew Goldstein, 52, his wife Lyla, 54, and their daughters Valerie, 22, and Violet, 19—all from Newton, Massachusetts.
Matthew was an eighth-grade teacher at Edith C. Baker School in Brookline while Lyla had spent the last 15 years working at Microsoft. Valerie was a recent Syracuse University graduate and Violet was just starting her first year at the Rhode Island School of Design.
According to the New Hampshire Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, Matthew’s death has been attributed to carbon monoxide poisoning; however, they’re still determining how it occurred. The causes of death for Lyla, Valerie, and Violet are also pending further investigation.
New Hampshire State Fire Marshal Sean P. Toomey along with Wakefield Fire Rescue Chief Todd Nason and Wakefield Police Chief Michael Fenton are leading a joint investigation into this incident.
They’re actively looking into what might have caused this suspected carbon monoxide leak and are examining the home’s gas heating system as part of their efforts. Unfortunately, officials reported that there were no functional carbon monoxide alarms found in the house.
A colleague mentioned that Matt Goldstein had a way of making every child feel secure.
Yasameen Sharif, who worked alongside Matthew Goldstein, mentioned that she thinks the family had their home in New Hampshire for roughly six years.
She recalled attending teacher weekends hosted by Goldstein there. He was an incredible snow-sculpture artist, Sharif shared in an email to Wicked Local.
And his Halloween costumes? Totally legendary! He genuinely cared about kids and made sure every one of them felt safe in his classroom. As a cancer survivor, I believe that really shaped his positive outlook on life—he always found the good in people and situations.
He had this amazing ability to uplift everyone around him. For ten years, he was a stay-at-home dad, and his daughters absolutely adored him just as much as he adored them.
Brookline Superintendent of Schools Linus Guillory Jr. also expressed that Goldstein’s commitment to inspiring students and nurturing young minds has left a lasting impression on everyone fortunate enough to know him.
Every year in the U.S., around 400 people lose their lives due to carbon monoxide poisoning.
Hey there! Did you know that every year, over 400 folks in the U.S. lose their lives to carbon monoxide poisoning? That’s not all—more than 100,000 people end up in the emergency room because of it too!
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) points out that carbon monoxide is a sneaky gas; you can’t see or smell it, and it can accumulate in closed or partially closed spaces. When people or pets inhale too much of it, they can get really sick.
The CDC explains that this gas messes with our body’s ability to take in and use oxygen correctly, which throws off how our cells breathe. This can lead to serious damage to vital organs like the heart and brain. So, it’s definitely something to be aware of!