A young boy has passed away from carbon monoxide poisoning while boating on an Oklahoma lake with his family.
9-year-old Andy Free fell off the back of their family boat on June 6.
It was initially thought that he drowned but an autopsy revealed that he had dangerous levels of carbon monoxide in his system.
His heartbroken mother is now warning others of the dangers of boats, sharing her son’s death on Facebook. “Andrew has been swimming since he was 2 years old- he was a STRONG swimmer- and yet, he didn’t even struggle. Now we know why,” Cassi wrote.
“He was at the back of our Malibu Skier most of the day. Boats, even moving, create a backdraft of exhaust.
“I didn’t know this. No one I know knew this. It’s called open-air carbon monoxide poisoning.”
Cassi continued: “Another friend looked into and found that it can also happen on other recreational vehicles like 4-wheelers.
“Our little Andy, our Dude, was probably slowly dying that afternoon/evening and we didn’t know it. He would’ve been tired. His head would’ve started to hurt.
“Sounds like too much sun after a long, physically draining day of wakeboarding, wake surfing, and tubing.”
The devastated mother also said they could’ve lost all three of their children, writing: “Andy was smaller than his brothers. They were moving around on the boat more than he was. They were at slightly less risk than their youngest brother.
“But we could’ve lost all three of our children that night. As hard as it is to swallow, we were fortunate. Fortunate that Andy doesn’t have to spend his life on life support. Fortunate that his brothers lived.
“It still leaves a bad taste in my mouth.”
The CDC warns: “Gasoline-powered engines on boats, including onboard generators, produce carbon monoxide (CO), a colorless and odorless gas that can poison or kill someone who breathes too much of it.”
Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include dizziness, headache, vomiting, chest pain, nausea, weakness and confusion.
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