Mum and daughter found dead in burger van were poisoned by ‘just a few breaths’
A man whose mum and sister died while trying to put up surprise birthday decorations in his burger van said they were poisoned by just ‘a few breaths’.
Tyla Wanstall arrived to work at the Meat ‘N’ Greet Snack Wagon, in Whitstable, Kent, on February 14 to find the bodies of Leah Churchill, 50, and 17-year-old Brooke Wanstall.
They had spent the night putting up balloons and bunting for his 26th birthday. It is believed they died of carbon monoxide poisoning but this is yet to be confirmed.
Now, heartbroken Twyla wants to make sure the tragedy never happens to anyone else.
He told The Mirror: ‘I had no idea how quickly carbon monoxide could kill. It is literally within a few breaths.
‘I hope hearing about what happened will make people go out and spend a few pounds on a CO alarm to help protect their family and loved ones.’
Tyla, a dad of a four-month-old son, thinks the gas leaked after his mum put the petrol generator on to keep her and Brooke warm.
He said: ‘Mum used that generator every day but I don’t think she thought for a second how catastrophic it would be to turn it on inside.’
Tyla told how he initially thought his family was playing a prank on him before he touched his mum and felt she was ‘cold’ and ‘saw straight away what happened’.
He said: ‘It’s heart-breaking to think they spent their last few moments just trying to put a smile on my face.’
He described his mum, who worked in hospitality, as a ‘kind woman who would do anything for anyone’.
She leaves behind two other children – a 23-year-old daughter Ocean and a 12-year-old son Sonny.
Tyla said his little sister Brooke, who worked as a carer, was a ‘live-wire with a huge personality’.
He added: ‘She had her whole life in front of her. I don’t know how we’re ever going to get over this.’
Landlords are legally required to install carbon monoxide alarms in the UK but around 54% of homes do not have one, according to think tank Policy Connect.
Tyla is currently fundraising for his mum and sister’s funeral on GoFundMe.
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