Child, adult die from carbon monoxide after leaving car on during cold, Texas cops say

A child and adult woman died from carbon monoxide poisoning Tuesday morning after a car was left running in a garage attached to their home, Texas police say.

Police in Houston were dispatched to a home for a welfare check when they found the woman and girl dead, cops said. The girl was 8 years old, KTRK reported.

An adult man and boy were also taken to a hospital due to carbon monoxide poisoning, Houston police said.

The car was left running to create heat, as the power was out in the home, according to police.

“This is so heartbreaking,” Houston police chief Art Acevedo said. “Please bundle up and be aware of the extreme danger carbon monoxide poses for us. Praying for this family.”

It comes a day after six people — including four children — were hospitalized from a separate carbon monoxide poisoning incident in Houston.

A family used their charcoal grill for four hours to heat their apartment, according to the Cy-Fair Fire Department. The children range in age from 5 to 10 years old, the fire department said.

One of the adults and one of the children were listed in critical condition Monday, according to the fire department.

Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas that can cause sudden illness and death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is produced when a fossil fuel is burned.

It can be spread through improperly ventilated appliances and engines, the Mayo Clinic said.

To prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, the Mayo Clinic advises people to install detectors, open garage doors before starting your car and keep fuel-burning appliances properly vented.

The incidents occurred during a historic cold snap throughout most of Texas. Millions of Texans have been left without power, the Star-Telegram reported.