Carbon monoxide poisoning suspected in deaths of three found in car in Quebec’s Gaspé

NOUVELLE, QUE. — Police say three people whose bodies were found in a vehicle in Quebec’s Gaspé region over the weekend likely died accidentally, possibly of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Provincial police spokesperson Audrey-Anne Bilodeau says the bodies of the two women and one man were found early Saturday in a wooded area near Nouvelle, Que., about 400 kilometres northeast of Quebec City.

One of the victims was in her 20s, while the other two were in their 30s.

While police initially treated the deaths as suspicious, Bilodeau says there were no signs of violence on the bodies and the investigation now points to accidental deaths.

A coroner will confirm the cause of death, but police believe the victims may have died of carbon monoxide poisoning after their vehicle got stuck in a small waterway with part of the exhaust system blocked.

The police major crimes unit as well as crime scene technicians were sent to the scene, and the investigation into the deaths is ongoing.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 21, 2024.