The death toll in Montserrado County District #11 Rep. Richard Koon’s family has tragically hit five following a terrible incident last week when five persons reportedly suffered from a carbon monoxide inhalation at their newly bought home in Barnersville, outside Monrovia.
The death of the fifth victim over the weekend, Rep. Koon’s little sister who had been in critical condition at the John F. Kennedy Hospital in Sinkor since the incident has stepped up the death toll.
Initially four of Rep. Koon’s family members including his mother Ma Lucky, his brother Francis Koon, and sisters Tina and Julie died in succession from Saturday through Monday, 16 to 18 March.
Eyewitnesses have attributed the untimely demise of the victims to a generator smoke (carbon monoxide) that they say has allegedly suffocated the deceased
Neighbors of the family say it all started Saturday night, 16 March when the electric generator at the family home gave out more smoke (carbon monoxide, a poisonous gas that can lead to serious tissue damage, or even death). The gas is produced by burning gasoline, wood, charcoal or other fuel.
Neighbors say they became aware of the incident which had occurred over night on March 16, upon the arrival of the maid at the house about 9AM and noticed strangely that all the doors and windows were still closed and none of the occupants were found outside.
Just days after the horrible incident that has claimed the lives of five family members of Rep. Koon, there have been a lot of mixed reactions coming from residents of his district.
Members of the BehnWein Community just right outside Barnesville Estate where the Rep. Koon lives are seen to be expressing deep sympathy over the tragedy against his family.
“This [is] not the first time for such a bad thing to happen to Richard Koon, but this other one full everybody’s mouth,” a resident tells our reporter who visited the community over the weekend.
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According to some community people, Rep. Koon lost his first son with two other friends in the sea some years back.
When Rep. Koon’s office was contacted, a staff in his office Claudius Dickson confirmed that the last person involved in the incident had died, bringing the number of dead to five.
Mr. Dickson says “it [is] true we lost her today, March 23, by 10AM at the John F. Kennedy Hospital.”
Due to the lack of electricity throughout Monrovia and its surroundings, many homes rely on generators to produce current.
However, the increasing rate of theft has forced many to take the risk of keeping their generators indoors, neglecting personal safety, especially homes that are not fenced in.
Koon’s mother Ma Lucky died upon arrival at the JFK Hospital Saturday, 16 March while his brother Francis Koon and two sisters Tina and Julie died in succession from Saturday through Monday.
A resident of the community, Charles Gray told the New Dawn that Rep. Koon was attending a beauty pageant held in the district from Friday night at the E. Jonathan Goodridge High School, Barnesville Estate when the incident occurred.
Gray says Rep. Koon arrived at his mother’s residence with the district’s ambulance, and the victims were taken to the John F. Kennedy Hospital in Sinkor.
However, Mr. Gray says Rep. Koon’s mother Ma Lucky was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital, while the others died in succession.
–as Rep. Koon mourns amidst mixed reaction
–Edited by Winston W. Parley
