Teen dies while sleeping in family’s car to escape the heat, family says

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE/Gray News) - A teenager died while sleeping in his family’s car Wednesday in an attempt to escape the heat.

The family of 17-year-old Christian Ruhenkenya said the three window air-conditioning units in the house they rent were not working, as the family of eight tried to keep cool.

One of Christian’s younger brothers, speaking for their parents who do not speak English, said Christian decided to sleep in the family’s car parked in the garage while running the air conditioning.

Christian’s brother said he checked on him at about 7 a.m. Wednesday but could not wake him up.

The Jefferson County Coroner’s Office said Christian died shortly before noon. They did not rule on the cause of his death because an autopsy is still pending.

Medical experts warn against sleeping in a running car because of the risk of being exposed to toxic fumes like carbon monoxide.

“They go to sleep, and they’re exposed to it. And they don’t know they have symptoms, and they don’t wake up from it so in those ways you couldn’t really tell which one,” Hugh Shoff, an ER doctor at University Hospital, said.

Police have ruled out foul play.

Paperwork for the car shows it was rebuilt at some point. The family is now trying to get rid of the car, saying they’re afraid of it.

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