Carbon monoxide killed UK children in Corfu-coroner
CORFU, Greece, Oct 28 (Reuters) Two British children found dead in a Corfu hotel room earlier this week died of carbon monoxide poisoning, a Greek coroner today said.
''A large quantity of carbon monoxide was found in their systems,'' Theodore Vougiouklakis, one of two coroners who performed autopsies on the children, told reporters.
He did not say where the poisonous gas might have come from.
''The toxicological analysis performed at the University of Ioannina forensic laboratory on the blood of the two victims showed that the cause of death was carbon monoxide intoxication,'' Vougiouklakis told Reuters Television.
Greek media have speculated that the toxic fumes may have entered the room where the children were sleeping from a gas-fired water boiler next door.
The hotel said it would make a statement shortly.
Neil Shepherd, his children Christianne, 7, and Robert, 6, and his partner Ruth Beatson, from West Yorkshire, were found in their bungalow on Thursday by a maid at the four-star beachfront hotel on the Ionian Sea island, popular with British tourists.
Shepherd and Beatson were rushed to hospital in Corfu and remained in critical condition though they are no longer in a coma.
Beatson's parents have arrived from Britain, as has the children's mother.
REUTERS DKB RN1517