PRINCESS ANNE, Md.- Nearly two years ago, Rodney Todd and his seven children living with him in a home on Antioch Avenue in Princess Anne were found dead. All eight members of the family were killed by carbon monoxide poisoning. Now, relatives of the Todd family have filed a lawsuit claiming the actions of Delmarva Power ultimately led to their deaths.
Police discovered the bodies of Todd and his seven children on April 6, 2015. Authorities also discovered a gas-powered generator in the home used to power space heaters. That generator had emitted carbon monoxide gas that poisoned and killed the eight people living inside. Police said Todd was using the generator in his home because the power was turned off a few days before.
According to Delmarva Power officials, there was a stolen electric meter illegally hooked up to the Todd family's home. On March 25, 2015, Delmarva Power had that meter removed.
Todd, and his seven kids living with him were last seen alive on March 28. Almost two years later, the mother of the seven children, along with Rodney Todd's mother have filed a lawsuit claiming the actions of Delmarva Power led to their deaths.
The lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court of Maryland claims Delmarva Power never notified the family that the meter was to be removed. The lawsuit goes on to say that without power to the home, Todd was forced to use the gas-powered generator to power the space heaters inside for he and his family.
"The fatal injuries sustained by Mr. Todd and his children, as well as the damages suffered by each of them before their deaths and by survivors after their deaths, were the proximate result of Delmarva's breach of its duty of ordinary car," the lawsuit reads.
While no exact figure is given, the lawsuit does specify that the damages the relatives are seeking exceeds $75,000.
According to Delmarva Power's website, the utility provider will not shut off power during the winter months, between November and March, because of nonpayment. However, after the deaths of Todd and his children, Delmarva Power officials said the meter was not removed because of nonpayment, but because of safety reasons surrounding the stolen meter being illegally being hooked up to the home.
