Mother, 40, and two young sons lose lives to 'silent killer' while on vacation in Mexico
Brenda Correa, 40, and her sons Leo, 14, and Armando, 13, of Des Plaines were found dead on July 2 after family members grew concerned when they stopped answering their phones.
The trio had been staying at a home in Michoacan, in west-central Mexico, when they were overcome by the deadly gas – known as the 'silent killer.'
Correa was found in the shower, while her two boys were discovered near their beds, according to her sister-in-law Milena Mroczek, who has been keeping friends and family updated on her Facebook page.
It was an uncle who made the grim discovery after being sent to check on them.
Heartbreakingly, Brenda's husband, Armando Correa Sr., and their daughter Brittany had remained behind in Illinois – and were not with them during the doomed trip.
No one else was in the house at the time of the tragedy, and the cause of death remains under investigation by authorities in Mexico.
The family had hoped to repatriate the bodies, but due to the ongoing investigation, Brenda and her sons were laid to rest in Mexico.
The shock loss has rocked the family's community in Des Plaines, Illinois, where Brenda worked as a teacher at the Westerhold Early Learning Center.
'She had a wonderful outlook on life,' Mroczek said. 'She always had a smile on her face.'
Leo had just graduated from eighth grade at Algonquin Middle School and was due to start high school at Maine West in the fall.
His younger brother, Armando, was heading into the eighth grade and was remembered for his cheeky sense of humor.
Des Plaines School District 62 said they were 'devastated' by the loss and would be offering emotional support services to students, staff, and grieving families.
Tributes have poured in online from stunned friends, parents, and coworkers.
Des Plaines Mayor Andrew Goczkowski called the deaths 'heartbreaking' and urged residents to keep the family in their thoughts and prayers.
A memorial Mass will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Stephen the Protomartyr Catholic Church in Des Plaines.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
7 hours ago
- The Independent
1-year-old baby is mauled to death by family pit bull after dog bit the baby's neck
A one-year-old in Ohio died after a family pit bull attacked. The dog grabbed the baby by the jaw and neck, severing the child's carotid artery, according to FOX 9. Tuscarawas County Sheriff Orvis Campbell told 7News that the baby girl was with her mother at the family's home on July 2 when the dog attacked. According to the sheriff's office, after bathing the young girl, her mother then picked up clothes from the bathroom floor and headed towards the laundry room. The toddler followed, and it was then that the dog attacked. Campbell said the dog's bite "caught the baby right near" her neck and jaw. 'The death of the child was instantaneous; there was nothing that could be done,' he said. The mother was also injured in the attack. Those injuries are reportedly consistent with defense wounds likely sustained while trying to rescue the child. After she pulled the baby away, the woman called 911 for help. According to the sheriff's office, the family has three dogs, including a pit bull. They reportedly told authorities that the pit bull had shown aggression toward their other dogs, but never toward any people. The child's father was working in the woods at the time of the attack. Sheriff's deputies tracked him down to inform him about the incident, and learned that the pit bull was important to him, and that he never imagined it would attack a family member. 'Our detectives will turn over all the information they gathered during their investigation to the prosecutor's office, but we do not expect any charges to be filed,' Campbell said. He told the press that the attack was an accident and that all of the information the family told authorities during their investigation matched the evidence they collected at the scene. The Cuyahoga County Coroner's Office will perform an autopsy on the baby to determine an official cause of death. The pit bull was euthanized on the day of the attack. Another baby was killed in April in Franklin County, Ohio, when one of the family's three pit bulls attacked the little girl, according to WSYX.
Daily Mail
8 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Mother, 40, and two young sons lose lives to 'silent killer' while on vacation in Mexico
An Illinois mom and her two teenage sons were tragically poisoned to death by a suspected carbon monoxide leak while staying at a family home in Mexico, devastated relatives have revealed. Brenda Correa, 40, and her sons Leo, 14, and Armando, 13, of Des Plaines were found dead on July 2 after family members grew concerned when they stopped answering their phones. The trio had been staying at a home in Michoacan, in west-central Mexico, when they were overcome by the deadly gas – known as the 'silent killer.' Correa was found in the shower, while her two boys were discovered near their beds, according to her sister-in-law Milena Mroczek, who has been keeping friends and family updated on her Facebook page. It was an uncle who made the grim discovery after being sent to check on them. Heartbreakingly, Brenda's husband, Armando Correa Sr., and their daughter Brittany had remained behind in Illinois – and were not with them during the doomed trip. No one else was in the house at the time of the tragedy, and the cause of death remains under investigation by authorities in Mexico. The family had hoped to repatriate the bodies, but due to the ongoing investigation, Brenda and her sons were laid to rest in Mexico. The shock loss has rocked the family's community in Des Plaines, Illinois, where Brenda worked as a teacher at the Westerhold Early Learning Center. 'She had a wonderful outlook on life,' Mroczek said. 'She always had a smile on her face.' Leo had just graduated from eighth grade at Algonquin Middle School and was due to start high school at Maine West in the fall. His younger brother, Armando, was heading into the eighth grade and was remembered for his cheeky sense of humor. Des Plaines School District 62 said they were 'devastated' by the loss and would be offering emotional support services to students, staff, and grieving families. Tributes have poured in online from stunned friends, parents, and coworkers. Des Plaines Mayor Andrew Goczkowski called the deaths 'heartbreaking' and urged residents to keep the family in their thoughts and prayers. A memorial Mass will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Stephen the Protomartyr Catholic Church in Des Plaines.
Daily Mail
11 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Mad Max mob swarms pool in upscale Chicago suburb, hurls fireworks and shoves female lifeguard in water
Shocking footage captured the moment hundreds of unruly Chicago teens shoved a lifeguard as they overran an upscale suburb's public pool. The 'flash mob' of around 200 teens and young adults swarmed Glen Ellyn's Sunset village pool on Saturday, forcing their way past security to pack out the area. Lifeguard Christine Guinta-Mayer was seen in the footage being shoved into the pool by the mob, who taunted her as the upset worker scrambled to get out of the water. Stunned residents told the DuPage Policy Journal that the group also set off fireworks into the pool, brought marijuana and alcohol to the pool, and stole other attendees' belongings. 'They were drinking and smoking weed and swearing a lot,' one local teen told the outlet. 'Someone threw a lit cigar into the pool 'I saw Miller Lite bottles and girls drinking on-the-rocks cosmos... They were taking people's stuff and moving it from their pool chairs.' The Glen Ellyn Police Department arrived soon after to disband the rowdy crowd, and one person was reportedly arrested for throwing a firework 'in close proximity to pedestrians.' The department did not immediately respond to a request for an update on any actions taken. View this post on Instagram A post shared by @duffyclipzz The group appeared to overwhelm the pool after first gathering at the Downtown Napier Beach, according to a social media advertisement promoting the 'flash mob.' 'We bringing (sic) 31st Beach to the burbs,' the promo read. 'No fighting!' A Facebook post from resident Patrick Sandusky said that police closed down the pool as they tried to bring the chaotic scenes under control. 'The Sunset Pool has been overwhelmed by out of town kids,' he wrote. 'Fireworks fired into pool. It's a tik tok meet up / take over according to police I just spoke to... Kids pushed (past) the gates. Lot of drinking and weed in the parking lot. 100s and 100s of kids. No joke. Pushed manager into the pool.' The manager who was pushed into the water was identified by the DuPage Journal as Guinta-Mayer, who is also head coach of the Glenbard West Hilltoppers Boys' Volleyball team. According to witnesses, the group overran the pool after shoving past security and avoided paying. Typically, The Sunset Pool charges $15 for non-residents aged between 18-59. The day after the 'flash mob', attendees at the pool were mandated to have a physical pool pass to enter. In a statement on Sunday, the pool's management said: 'We worked closely with the Glen Ellyn Police Department and surrounding agencies to ensure the facility was safely cleared. 'We are grateful to our quick-thinking and professional Sunset Pool staff for how they handled the situation. 'The safety of our patrons and staff remains our top priority. We're currently reviewing the incident internally and assessing any operational adjustments as needed.
