Four Dead in New Hampshire on Christmas from Suspected Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
They have been identified as 52-year-old Massachusetts teacher Matt Goldstein, his wife Lyla, 54, and their two adult daughters, Valerie, 22, and Violet, 19.
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| A house in Wakefield, N.H., where a family of four died from suspected carbon monoxide poisoning on Christmas Day, is shown on Friday, Dec. 27, 2024 |
“We are deeply heartbroken to learn of the passing of Mr. Matt Goldstein, an exceptional educator and a beloved member of our PSB and Baker School Community,” Brookline Public Schools Superintendent Linus Guillory said in a statement.
| The victims were identified as Matthew Goldstein, 52, Lyla Goldstein, 54, Valerie Goldstein, 22, and Violet Goldstein, 19, all of Newton, Massachusetts. |
The Goldsteins were spending the holiday season at their vacation home in Wakefield. When they did not show up to a family event, relatives became concerned and called emergency services.
Wakefield firefighters arrived at the lake house and found the four victims dead, with high levels of carbon monoxide detected in the home. There were no working CO detectors present, according to New Hampshire State Fire Marshal Sean Toomey.
An autopsy confirmed that Matthew Goldstein died from carbon monoxide poisoning. The results for his wife and daughters are still pending. The investigation is ongoing, but Toomey said it appears to be an accident, possibly involving the home’s heating system.
| Matt Goldstein was a teacher for Brookline Public Schools. |
The fire marshal stressed the importance of having carbon monoxide detectors in every home. He explained that symptoms of CO poisoning include headaches, nausea, and fatigue, which can be mistaken for flu symptoms.
In 2024, ten people in New Hampshire died from carbon monoxide poisoning. Typically, the state sees two to three deaths per year from this odorless gas.
