A Keizer mother is facing attempted murder charges after police say she rigged a car to funnel exhaust into her home, then called 9-1-1 claiming she and her three young children were drifting in and out of consciousness.
The children, twin 2-year-old boys and a 4-year-old girl, along with their mother, were taken to the Salem Hospital emergency department for treatment and were later medically cleared, according to authorities. The mother, identified as 32-year-old Chardonnay Marie Benavidez, was booked into the Marion County Correctional Facility on attempted murder charges.
What Investigators Say Happened
On June 6, Benavidez called 9-1-1 and told dispatchers she had “attempted to kill them and myself” using carbon monoxide, according to KOIN.
Deputies who responded reported finding a vehicle in an attached garage with a makeshift setup connecting the exhaust pipe to the vehicle’s interior. Inside the home on Holly Court NE in Keizer, officers found the family lying on the living room floor, KOIN reports.
After being medically cleared, the children were released to their father. Benavidez was placed on a physician’s hold and evaluated by psychiatric staff before being released from medical care, according to KOIN.
How Carbon Monoxide From a Car Turns Deadly
Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas that can quietly build up to lethal levels, especially in enclosed spaces like garages where car engines are running. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning can include headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea, confusion, and loss of consciousness. Children can be especially vulnerable to its effects.
The Oregon Health Authority warns that the only reliable way to know if carbon monoxide is present is with properly functioning CO alarms. The agency urges residents to move immediately to fresh air and call 9-1-1 if an alarm sounds or if symptoms of exposure appear.
Charges And The Legal Picture
Benavidez was booked on three counts of first-degree attempted murder, according to KOIN.
Under Oregon law, an attempt to commit murder is treated as a top-level felony, and the Oregon Revised Statutes spell out how criminal attempts and felony classifications are handled. As of the latest reporting, prosecutors and the Marion County District Attorney’s Office had not posted additional public filings in the case.
Help, Hotlines And Prevention
Officials urge residents to install battery-backed carbon monoxide alarms on every level of the home and to never run a vehicle in an attached garage, even with the garage door open.
For suspected carbon monoxide exposure, the Oregon Poison Center (Poison Help: 1-800-222-1222) provides 24/7 guidance, and the Oregon Health Authority offers detailed prevention tips on its website.
If anyone feels dizzy, nauseated, confused, or loses consciousness, officials say it is critical to get to fresh air immediately and seek emergency medical care.
