An Illinois mother and her two teenage sons died while vacationing in Mexico, believed to have been the victims of accidental carbon monoxide poisoning.
Brenda Correa, 41, along with her sons Leo, 15, and Armando, 13, were found dead on July 2 at a family residence in the Mexican state of Michoacán, according to reports from ABC affiliate WLS.
The family, originally from Des Plaines, Illinois, had been staying at a home in Michoacán when toxic gas is believed to have entered the property. When family members back home were unable to reach Brenda or her sons by phone, a relative in Mexico went to check on them and discovered the tragic scene.
The boys were found near their beds, while Brenda was located in the shower. No other family members were present in the house at the time. Brenda’s husband, Armando Correa Sr., and daughter, Brittany, had remained in Illinois.
Brenda worked at the Westerhold Early Learning Center under Community Consolidated School District 62, while her sons attended Algonquin Middle School. Their deaths have left the school community reeling.
“Mrs. Correa was a valued member of our ELC learning community. We are devastated by this loss as well as the loss of her children,” Dr. Michael Amadei, Superintendent of Schools, wrote in a letter to families. “Due to the fact that this tragedy occurred out of the country, we are not aware of all the details, including services, but will do our best to communicate updates as they are shared with us.”
Correa’s sister-in-law, Milena Mroczek, confirmed to the Daily Herald that the family had been staying at a residence owned by relatives. She shared that the sudden loss has left the entire family heartbroken.
“Tragedy has struck our family once again,” Mroczek wrote on Facebook, asking for support from friends and the community. Initially, the family launched a GoFundMe campaign to help repatriate the bodies, but due to the ongoing investigation and related complications, the decision was made to bury Brenda and her sons in Mexico.
The fundraiser will now cover funeral expenses. Mroczek announced a memorial mass scheduled for Saturday, July 12, and expressed deep gratitude for the community’s support.
Friends and neighbors have flooded social media with messages of grief and remembrance. “This is a devastating loss to our community,” one woman wrote. “She was the kindest and sweetest person you could ever know. Love you, Brenda, rest in peace with your beautiful boys.”