Four members of an American family died of poisoning, including two Chinese adopted daughters

Four members of an American family died of poisoning, including two Chinese adopted daughters. The Associated Press said that a Pennsylvania family of four died due to carbon monoxide poisoning, and friends and neighbors are saddened by this...

Four members of an American family died of poisoning, including two Chinese adopted daughters. The Associated Press stated that a Pennsylvania family of four died due to carbon monoxide poisoning, and friends and neighbors expressed regret and heartache. According to Bucks County District Attorney Heckler, an investigation by the Pennsylvania State Police on Tuesday showed that after a fight with his wife Michelle on Monday, Ray Lauer, a resident of Milford Township, walked to the garage and drove his car to commit suicide. When police arrived at Relauer's home Monday night, they found the garage filled with high levels of carbon monoxide. Heckler said investigators believe Relauer's wife and children were poisoned by high levels of carbon monoxide while trying to save him. Fire rescue personnel were unable to save the lives of the Relauer family. Relauer's nephew Rob Zern told reporters, "The Relauer family tried to save each other's lives but failed. I don't know what was wrong with this, but it was a tragedy after all." Heckler said the cause and manner of death still need to be confirmed by the medical examiner. State police found no last words, but the garage door handle was knocked off, "suggesting that after the husband went in, he did not want to be disturbed or rescued." Investigators said the scene also suggested that his wife went to the garage, broke the window of another door and tried to save him, but she appeared to be suffocated by the lethal gas and collapsed. Daughter Kimberly, 16, went to the kitchen next to the garage and was found collapsed on the floor. Ten-year-old daughter Jamie, believed to be the same, was dying when rescuers arrived and later died. Neighbor Maggie Chambers said the two daughters were adopted from China and they were "a sweet family." The local school announced the girls' deaths on its website. "Kimberly was the sweetest person and always cared about others," math teacher MaryAnn Byatt said on the website, which also said Kimberly was an excellent student who received a perfect score on her calculus exam at the end of her sophomore semester. She also participates in choir and jazz band. 10-year-old Jiamie is in fifth grade and competes on the school's Reading Olympiad team. Like her sister, she also participates in the school band and choir, and wants to be a veterinarian when she grows up. On Tuesday afternoon, six of Kimberly's classmates placed flowers in Kimberly's mailbox, then formed a circle, held hands and prayed. Neighbor Aislinn Strohecker, 17, said: "Everyone loved her, she always had a smile on her face, they were the happiest family, they were very approachable."