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Vineyard woman dies after inhaling carbon monoxide fumes

By Curtis Booker - | Aug 16, 2024

Courtesy: GoFundMe.com/Angelica Avila

Angelica Avila Almanza is shown on a GoFundMe account.

A 24-year-old woman is dead after breathing in too much carbon monoxide at a Vineyard residence last week, the Utah County Sheriff’s Office announced.

Just before 3 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 7, authorities responded to a townhome complex in the area of 370 North and 725 East where multiple people had reportedly “inhaled” gas from a vehicle, according to a press release.

Deputies arrived to find a car that had been running inside a garage; the garage had been opened by the time the agencies responded. One officer reported a strong odor of vehicle exhaust and could not stay in the garage.

He and another deputy re-entered the garage and discovered a man lying on the floor of the garage who was not conscious. They removed him and worked to render aid.

“The man was breathing but was still not conscious. This man was taken by ambulance to Utah Valley Hospital in Provo,” officials said in the release.

Meanwhile, authorities discovered a woman whose legs were reportedly seen “sticking out of the passenger side door in the back seat of the car,” according to the sheriff’s office.

The woman, who authorities identified as Angelica Maria Avila Almanza, 24, of Vineyard, was reportedly unconscious and not breathing.

“The Deputies began administering CPR, which was taken over by Orem Fire Department Paramedics when they arrived. This woman was taken by ambulance to Timpanogos Hospital in Orem. She was later transferred by medical helicopter to Intermountain Medical Center in Murray in critical condition,” the press release stated.

She was taken off life support and died Sunday, Aug. 11, around 3:45 p.m., according to the sheriff’s office.

Investigators suspect Avila Almanza and the man, who authorities said survived the incident, were in the garage and may have been running the car motor so they could use the air conditioning, officials stated in the release.

“The walk-through door into the home from the garage, and the roll up garage door were closed during this time and there was no carbon monoxide sensor in the garage,” the press release explained.

Carbon monoxide sensors inside the apartment eventually activated. A 27-year-old woman and three young children ages 4 years, 2 years and 9 months were inside the apartment when deputies entered the property. Those four were taken to a hospital where they were treated and later released, according to officials.

The sheriff’s office said four others who had been in the apartment but were awakened by the sensor alarm made it out of the residence and called 911. They were each evaluated on the scene and released.

A GoFundMe account has been set up in Avila Almanza’s name that states funds will be used to transport her body back to Mexico.

At this time, investigators say they do not suspect any foul play.

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