Fundraisers started to help pay funeral costs of teens killed by carbon monoxide poisoning

GoFundMe campaigns have been created to help pay for the funerals of two high school students who died of accidental carbon monoxide poisoning inside a vehicle early Sunday morning in Hoffman Estates.

Yeferson A. Flores Ramos, 17, of Hoffman Estates, and Litzy Flores, 16, of Carpentersville, were pronounced dead just before 1:30 a.m. Sunday at Ascension St. Alexius Medical Center in Hoffman Estates.

Yeferson is known as Jefferson Flores on the GoFundMe campaign created by Kensy Flores, which by Monday afternoon had raised $7,666 of its $13,000 goal to cover the costs of repatriating the teen’s remains to Honduras.

“Every grain of sand would be very helpful!” Kensy Flores wrote. “God bless you!!”

The GoFundMe campaign for Litzy began Monday afternoon with a goal of $15,000 to cover the costs of her funeral this week. The campaign had raised $2,685 by late Monday afternoon.

“Litzy, a young girl we watched grow up alongside her father, Jovany Flores, and her uncles at soccer games, was deeply loved by her family and community,” wrote campaign organizer Nelson Carranza. “Her passing leaves us with immense grief.”

Her wake will be from 2 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, at Morizzo Funeral Home, 2550 Hassell Road in Hoffman Estates. The funeral Mass will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, at Church of the Holy Spirit- St. Gregory of Nyssa Parish, 1451 Bode Road in Schaumburg.

“We are seeking help to cover the expenses and give Litzy a dignified and respectful farewell,” Carranza wrote. “Any contribution, no matter how small, will be greatly appreciated and will help us honor Litzy’s memory.”

Carranza added that donations also could be made via Zelle to Jose (Nelson) Carranza or by cash.

The Conant High School students were discovered unresponsive in a locked car at 12:37 a.m. on the 200 block of East Berkley Lane in Hoffman Estates.

Autopsy results indicated both teens died from inhaling automobile exhaust. The deaths were ruled accidental by the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

The case remains under investigation, Hoffman Estates police said. Among the issues they are looking into is whether there were issues with an after-market exhaust system installed on the vehicle.

Conant Principal Julie Nowak said in a statement that Litzy was a sophomore at the high school and Yeferson Ramos was a senior who planned to join the U.S. Army after graduation.

“This is a terrible loss for the entire Conant Community,” she wrote.