Posted: 12/5/06
North Branch teen dead from carbon monoxide
 North Branch police officers were on the scene at a home on 412th Street Tuesday morning, where 17-year-old Andrew Carlson died from carbon monoxide poisoning. Four other people, two adults and two children, were taken to a Twin Cities hospital for treatment. |
By Patrick Tepoorten
Details surrounding a carbon monoxide (CO) fatality in North Branch were sketchy Tuesday morning, but what is known is that Andrew Dale Carlson, 17, of North Branch, succumbed to CO poisoning sometime during the night. Four other family members, including Phillip Thomas Bartholomew, 10, James Allen Bartholomew, 12, Penny Jean Pliscott, 43, and Mitchell Dale Carlson, 47, are being treated at a Twin Cities hospital for exposure to the deadly poison.
According to North Branch Police Chief Steve Forner, his department received a 911 call around 6:30 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 5, a report of a family at the Conoco station in North Branch with two sick children. At that time it was also reported to police that there was a teenager still at the house, believed to already be deceased.
The scenario that resulted in the fatality actually began playing out much earlier in the morning, when Mitchell Carlson was arrested for a suspected DWI. According to the North Branch Police Department (NBPD), the arrest took place after a 911 call was placed by employees of the Holiday Stationstore at the intersection of Hwy. 95 and I-35 at 12:36 a.m. Carlson had apparently hit a post in the parking lot of the convenience store with his car. NBPD Sgt. Rick Sapp responded and performed a breathalyzer test on Carlson.
Although the results of that test are not being released, NBPD stated that Carlson displayed probable cause for the arrest through his actions at the time.
He was taken to an area hospital for a blood draw before being booked into the Chisago County Jail for 4th degree DWI at 3:15 a.m. Forner speculated Tuesday morning that, in retrospect, what Sapp was observing in Carlson may have been the early signs of CO poisoning.
Carlson was transported home from the jail by a relative.
Sometime later Mitchell Carlson and Pliscott discovered that the two younger children were feeling ill. At some point in the early morning it is believed that one or both went to a local gas station to pick up soda or juice for upset stomachs and returned to the home.
Around 6 a.m. the two adults discovered Andrew Carlson, apparently already deceased, and transported the younger children to the Conoco gas station in North Branch where they called 911.
Earlier on Tuesday, Forner stated that the home was brand new, and that a telephone had yet to be installed, necessitating the trip to Conoco. Other sources claim that the home did have phones installed, but that Pliscott and Mitchell Carlson were unable to locate the handset.
Lakes Region EMS, the Chisago County Sheriff's Office, and the North Branch Police Department were directed to the scene and the four surviving individuals were transported to Hennepin County Medical Center for treatment. Their condition is not known at this time.
Forner and North Branch officer Rick Sapp responded to the home, where they discovered Andrew Carlson already deceased.
The source of the CO is not known at this time. North Branch investigator Todd Frank expects to know more after the house is inspected.
Comment from Sam Sizer, 12/12/06
Andrew Carlson knew my brother Beck, and he was always smiling and was nice to everybody and very positive. I was at the funeral and there were so many people mourning the loss of such a good person.
R.I.P Andrew.
Comment from stef franks, 1/9/07
i knew andrew since the day i started high school he was friends with on of my best friends trisha!
he had the biggest crush on her
and she was soooo mean to him!
it was sad!
i remeber evey time i had to stay afetr he was there with me waiting for his dad to pick him up!
and i remeber partying with him!
he was fun
we were messing around at nicoles house and he gave me a black eye on accedent it was funny!
well i thought so
i found out what happened when i was at night school
because i had just moved to nebraska!
it sux and i dont remeber how long i cried but i miss him with allllllll my heart and i want him to come back!
R.I.P
Andrew!
and please stop calling him andy he didnt like that!
thanks!
Comment from Kenny Heffington, 8/23/07
Andrew was my bestfriend and brother at the same time... i met him in summer school and from that we always hung out.... I found out about him at ALC from Nick one of our good friends and he told me i didnt belive him i drove up to his house and seen the tape and that would be the first time in my life me crying like that. it hurts soo bad that he is here he didnt diserve this at all he was a great friend , a loving brother, and a wounderful son....
Love you Bro
Kenny
Comment from stef franks, 11/29/07
I miss you soooooooooo much!!!
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