Madeira Beach couple found dead had the flu, neighbors said

[thebes]

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2009/jun/10/111138/2-bodies-found-madeira-beach-apartment/news-breaking/

Madeira Beach couple found dead had the flu, neighbors said

By STEPHEN THOMPSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 10, 2009

Updated: 37 min. ago

MADEIRA BEACH - A couple found dead together in their condominium had been suffering from a serious case of the flu, neighbors said.

Edwin and Louise Kaczmarski, both 65, were found dead in their condominium at the Madeira Beach Yacht Club on Wednesday afternoon, according to the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office.

Tess Orlando, a member of the board of directors at the 286-unit waterfront complex, said she and complex manager Tom Petty went to the couple's condominium unit to see whether they had returned from a trip to Pennsylvania to attend a classic car show.

Petty went in, saw the bodies and told Orlando to call 911, Orlando said.

Louise Kaczmarski was also on the condo board, and Orlando said she wanted to know whether Kaczmarski was going to attend a scheduled meeting.

"They both had the flu," Orlando said.

That last time Orlando heard from Louise Kaczmarski was in an e-mail sent before the Kaczmarskis returned from their trip. Louise Kaczmarski, who had a heart condition, wrote, "I feel awful," Orlando said.

"They were good people," Orlando said. "It's such a shock."

Detectives said the bodies were discovered in a severe state of decomposition.

Detectives said the deaths were not suspicious and there was no sign of violence in the home. An autopsy will be conducted to determine an official cause of death.

[alert]

Re: Madeira Beach couple found dead had the flu, neighbors said

Detectives said the bodies were discovered in a severe state of decomposition.

I suspect carbon monoxide. Would provide flulike symptoms. Simultaneous deaths due to H1N1 would be a bizarre coincidence (even if both got severe case, one would likely die before the other).

These deaths are probably over a week old because of the decomposition.

[Lizw]

Re: Madeira Beach couple found dead had the flu, neighbors said

Detectives said the bodies were discovered in a severe state of decomposition.

I suspect carbon monoxide. Would provide flulike symptoms. Simultaneous deaths due to H1N1 would be a bizarre coincidence (even if both got severe case, one would likely die before the other).

These deaths are probably over a week old because of the decomposition.

Carbon monoxide?? In the summer in Florida? From what?

[wotan]

Re: Madeira Beach couple found dead had the flu, neighbors said

Gas water heater comes to mind.

[alert]

Re: Madeira Beach couple found dead had the flu, neighbors said

Monoxide could come from a room air conditioner, or their cooking oven. Could actually be any type of poisoning, including natural gas.

If this is an infectious illness, the chance of the two deaths being simulataneous is very low (and essentially zero if contagious from one person to the other).

[alert]

Re: Madeira Beach couple found dead had the flu, neighbors said

Gas water heater comes to mind.

Or that.

[Lizw]

Re: Madeira Beach couple found dead had the flu, neighbors said

Monoxide could come from a room air conditioner, or their cooking oven. Could actually be any type of poisoning, including natural gas.

If this is an infectious illness, the chance of the two deaths being simulataneous is very low (and essentially zero if contagious from one person to the other).

A condo in Madeira Beach is almost certainly going to have central air conditioning. But yes, I suppose an oven or water heater could be the source, if no one noticed the very strong sulphur smell of the gas itself. A leak in the middle of the night might not have been noticed. I don't think there is any reason to presume that their deaths were simultaneous, only that they might have become incapacitated at roughly the same time.

[wotan]

Re: Madeira Beach couple found dead had the flu, neighbors said

Depending on the age of the oven (assuming it is gas) it may not have a pilot light. The oven would therefore have to have been on for a very long time (from before death until they were discovered), I would think that an oven left on that long would have caused a fire (unless the CO got concentrated enough to snuff it out).

If they had a gas water heater and if it was in the house (newer houses seem to have them in the garage) and if something blocked the vent it might have been able to generate enough CO over time.

Lots of speculation though and too few facts.

[alert]

Re: Madeira Beach couple found dead had the flu, neighbors said

Lots of speculation though and too few facts.

Exactly. This could have been a suicide, or an accident, or just about anything else. We just need to wait for the autopsies. We should get pretty good information on this one.

[tropical]

Re: Madeira Beach couple found dead had the flu, neighbors said

But the neighbors said they sufered from a serious case of flu (#1).

So we have human witnesses of their's previous state of bad respiratory (flu) health.

[SonicHappyHourAddict]

Re: Madeira Beach couple found dead had the flu, neighbors said

But the neighbors said they sufered from a serious case of flu (#1).

So we have human witnesses of their's previous state of bad respiratory (flu) health.

"They both had the flu," Orlando said.

That last time Orlando heard from Louise Kaczmarski was in an e-mail sent before the Kaczmarskis returned from their trip. Louise Kaczmarski, who had a heart condition, wrote, "I feel awful," Orlando said.

I think the assumption they had the flu was relayed thru e-mail. The ages are not in the high risk category for Novel H1N1.

[tropical]

Re: Madeira Beach couple found dead had the flu, neighbors said

I think the assumption they had the flu was relayed thru e-mail. The ages are not in the high risk category for Novel H1N1.

The mails could be sent few days before their arival back.

Any age with underlaying conditions are on high risk.

[alert]

Re: Madeira Beach couple found dead had the flu, neighbors said

I think the assumption they had the flu was relayed thru e-mail. The ages are not in the high risk category for Novel H1N1.

If the only evidence that they had flu-like symptoms is an email where one of them says they felt awful, that isn't much evidence. That would also seem to rule out any connection between monoxide and the flu-like symptoms, as they were not home when they were sick.

These deaths could have been caused by absolutely anything. We simply must wait for the autopsy. If there is mention of pneumonia or lung damage, then we can consider them as possible H1N1 deaths. In the meantime, they are simply two of the many deaths that occur every day.

[alert]

Re: Madeira Beach couple found dead had the flu, neighbors said

Update: Note the bold parts. It is possible that the two could have had flu as there was some flulike illness in the condo. However, whether the flu played any role in their deaths is another issue. If the woman had the flu in PA, she easily could have recovered before she flew home.

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2009/jun/10/111742/2-bodies-found-madeira-beach-apartment/news-breaking/

Madeira Beach couple found dead had the flu, neighbors said
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By STEPHEN THOMPSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 10, 2009

Updated: 48 min. ago

MADEIRA BEACH - A couple found dead together in their condominium had been suffering from a serious case of the flu, neighbors said.

Detectives said the deaths were not suspicious and there was no sign of violence in the home. An autopsy will be conducted to determine an official cause of death.

Edwin and Louise Kaczmarski, both 65, were found dead in their condominium at the Madeira Beach Yacht Club on Wednesday afternoon, according to the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office.

Tess Orlando, a member of the board of directors at the 286-unit waterfront complex, said she and complex manager Tom Petty went to the couple's condominium unit to see whether they had returned from a trip to Pennsylvania to attend a classic car show.

Petty went in, saw the bodies and told Orlando to call 911, Orlando said.

Louise Kaczmarski was also on the condo board, and Orlando said she wanted to know whether Kaczmarski was going to attend a scheduled meeting.

"They both had the flu," Orlando said.

That last time Orlando heard from Louise Kaczmarski was in an e-mail sent before the Kaczmarskis returned from their trip. Louise Kaczmarski, who had a heart condition, wrote, "I feel awful," Orlando said.

"They were good people," Orlando said. "It's such a shock."

Detectives said the bodies were discovered in a severe state of decomposition.

Bill Pellan, director of investigations for the Pinellas Medical Examiner's Office, said several people at the condominium complex reportedly had flu-like symptoms last month. One was tested for N1HI [I assumed this means H1N1], and the test was negative.

There was contact with the Kaczmarskis at the time of the May report, but there was no indication that either were suffering flu-like symptoms at the time, he said.
Reporter Stephen Thompson can be reached at (727) 451-2336.