Names released of Massachusetts family found deceased after not arriving at event

WAKEFIELD, N.H. – New Hampshire State Fire Marshal Sean P. Toomey, Wakefield Fire Rescue Chief Todd Nason, and Wakefield Police Chief Michael Fenton announce a joint investigation into the deaths of four people, suspected to be a result of carbon monoxide poisoning.

At 4:21 p.m. on Wednesday, the Wakefield Police Department responded to 2962 Province Lake Road in Wakefield for a welfare check after family members discovered they had not arrived for a holiday event. When officers arrived, they found multiple people deceased. Investigators from the New Hampshire State Fire Marshal’s Office were requested to respond to the scene to assist.

The victims have been identified as Matthew Goldstein, 52, Lyla Goldstein, 54, Valerie Goldstein, 22, and Violet Goldstein, 19, all of Newton, Massachusetts. The New Hampshire Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has determined Matthew Goldstein’s cause of death was carbon monoxide poisoning, and the manner is pending. The cause and manner of death of Lyla Goldstein, Valerie Goldstein, and Violet Goldstein remains pending.

Efforts to determine the cause of the suspected carbon monoxide leak remain active and ongoing, and investigators are continuing to inspect the home’s gas heating system. During the preliminary investigation, it was learned that the victims were expected to attend a holiday event. When they did not show up at the event, family members contacted local authorities and requested a welfare check, ultimately leading to the discovery of the victims. Additionally, no working carbon monoxide alarms have been found in the home.

Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas which can cause serious illness and death at high levels. The New Hampshire State Fire Marshal’s Office, National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission offer the following tips for making sure the carbon monoxide alarms in homes are maintained and working properly:

• Install and maintain carbon monoxide alarms in a central location outside each separate sleeping area, on every level of the home, and in other locations, as required by laws, codes, or standards.
• If you have combination smoke/carbon monoxide alarms, follow the directions for smoke alarm installation.
• Test carbon monoxide alarms once a month and replace them if they fail to respond correctly when tested.
• Replace the carbon monoxide alarm according to manufacturer’s instructions or when the end-of-life signal sounds.
• Know the difference between the sound of the carbon monoxide alarm and the smoke alarm, and each alarm’s low-battery signals. If the audible low-battery signal sounds, replace the batteries, or replace the device.
• Carbon monoxide alarms are not substitutes for smoke alarms, and vice versa. Know the difference.

Anyone with information that may assist the investigation is encouraged to contact the New Hampshire State Fire Marshal’s Office at (603) 223-4289 or fmo@dos.nh.gov. The New Hampshire State Fire Marshal’s Office was assisted at the scene by members of Wakefield Fire Rescue, the Wakefield Police Department, and the New Hampshire State Police.