Four people were found dead at a homeless camp in Delaware on Tuesday, possibly from carbon monoxide poisoning linked to a heater discovered inside their tent, according to a family member and authorities.
An autopsy will determine the four adults' causes of death, but no foul play was suspected, Delaware State Police confirmed in a statementTuesday.
Bruce Messick, who identified himself to the Delaware News Journal as a family member of two of the victims, said he went to check on his brother and nephew that afternoon in the woods off of Route 7 in Stanton, when he found the group dead inside a tent equipped with a propane heater.
Messick said his family members had been homeless for years and he often brought food and money to the them. The almost-full propane tank being used by the four victims to keep warm had recently been dropped off, he added, and temperatures below freezing had been recorded throughout the week.
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The victims' names were not immediately released and State Police were continuing to investigate.