Sheriff: 17-year-old found at Iowa hog facility died due to carbon monoxide poisoning

SWEA CITY, Iowa  – Authorities have released the cause of a 17-year-old’s death after they were found unconscious at a hog facility.

The Kossuth County Sheriff’s Office says Victoria Marie Parra Lerdo of Rockwell City, Iowa died due to carbon monoxide poisoning. The cause of death was confirmed after an autopsy was performed by the Iowa Medical Examiners Office.

Lerdo was found within a Swea City hog facility about 10 miles south of the Iowa-Minnesota Border after the sheriff’s office responded to a report of an unconscious person. When authorities entered the facility, they found Lerdo unconscious.

She was transported to the Kossuth Regional Health Center where she was pronounced dead later that evening.

After receiving the autopsy report, the Kossuth County Sheriff’s Office has ruled the death an accident.

After investigating the scene, the sheriff’s office discovered a power washer unit was being operated within the hallway area of the building near where Lerdo was working. Authorities concluded the inadequate ventilation within a small area caused Lerdo to be overcome by carbon monoxide fumes.

Earlier reports stated Lerdo had been assisting in the cleaning and power washing of the facility. She was found lying on the floor by another person who was also working in the area