Father and 10-year-old son dead, daughter hospitalized after apparent carbon monoxide poisoning

INVERNESS, Ill. - A young boy and his father are dead, and his daughter is in critical condition from an apparent carbon monoxide poisoning Sunday afternoon at their home in northwest suburban Inverness.

Now, police are investigating their deaths.

The mother of the children notified police around 4:20 p.m. that her estranged husband hadn't return their kids at the scheduled time after visitation, Inverness police said.

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When she went to their father's home in the 2200 block of Palatine Road, she found them all unconscious inside and called police.

Police said it appeared that they were overcome by carbon monoxide from a generator inside the home.

Woo Chang, 41, and his son, 10-year-old Austin Chang, were pronounced dead at the scene, police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office said.

Chang's 6-year-old daughter was taken to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, where she is still hospitalized in critical condition.

The medical examiner’s office was scheduled to perform autopsies Monday.

Austin Chang attended Frank C. Whiteley School. In a written statement, the Community Consolidated School District 15 said the school community was "simply heartsick."

"It is with a very heavy heart that we confirm the student who passed away over the weekend was part of the District 15 community. The district is simply heartsick, and in both shock and mourning over the tragic loss of one of our students," the district said in the statement. "It goes without saying that this is a devastating loss for all of us here in District 15, especially as we look to the remainder of the school year where the child’s absence will be felt by classmates and staff."

District 15 said its efforts are focused on offering support to students and staff who need it.

Inverness police are conducting a death investigation but have not released any further information.