14 DAY TRIAL // Two adults and three children were found dead in a garage in Toledo, Ohio, on Monday, November 12. Police believe the victims passed away due to carbon monoxide poisoning, as they were found in a car, in a locked garage.
The Toledo Blaze identifies them as a family, of which the two adults are 54-year-old Sandy Ford, and her son, 32-year-old Andy Ford. Two girls were found at the scene – 10 year-old Paige Hayes and her sister, 5-year-old Madalyn Hayes. 7-year-old brother Logan Hayes accompanied them. The children were Andy's nieces and nephew.
First responders also recovered two dogs and one cat from the Honda Civic where the five were discovered, in the grandmother's garage.
The deaths were caused by exhaust fumes being pumped from a Dodge truck in the garage into the Civic. Police suspect a murder-suicide occurred in the Ford family.
Police and fire crews arrived at the grandmother's home on 5142 Harvest Ln. at 3:26 p.m., prompted by her husband, Randy Ford.
The couple were living alone, as their grandkids had been taken away from them. Randy was blocked out of the garage, and also found potential farewell notes from his wife, son and grandchildren.
NBC News reveals that Toledo Police Sgt. Joe Heffernan mentioned a custody battle between Sandy and her daughter, the mother of the three children. Sandy has been taking care of the children for four years, when the mother asked for custody.
The Sergeant indicated that the carbon monoxide poisoning could not have happened by accident.
"It appears the manner of death is carbon monoxide poisoning and some evidence from the scene suggests that it was not accidental," Sgt. Heffernan says, quoted by North West Ohio.
Asked if he suspected anyone for the crimes at this point, he denied having a suspect list at this point.