Carbon monoxide poisoning suspected to have led to the death of a Durban couple and their dog

Kyle Richards and his wife Taylene Richards were found dead on Monday in their home. Picture: Facebook

Kyle Richards and his wife Taylene Richards were found dead on Monday in their home. Picture: Facebook

Published Feb 27, 2024

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A Greenwood Park couple, their pitbull and a friend are believed to have died from suspected carbon monoxide poisoning.

The three lifeless bodies were found on Monday in Rosary Place.

Police said an inquest had been opened.

The victims have been identified as Kyle Richards and his wife Taylene Richards and their friend Moosa. All the victims were in their 20s.

According to Kyle’s relative, Steve Middleton, retired head of eThekwini Metro Police, neighbours noticed no movement in the Richards’ household and alerted the authorities.

“That is when the security company was alerted and the three decomposing bodies were found.”

Middleton said the couple’s two children, both aged under five, had spent the weekend at Taylene’s mother’s home.

“They are now left without their parents, it is a complete tragedy.”

It is understood the area had been experiencing a power cut and Middleton confirmed that a generator was found on the property.

According to Marshall Security’s Tyron Powell, their Emergency Dispatch Centre was alerted through a concerning WhatsApp message, requesting a welfare check on their neighbour in the Greenwood Park area, as family have had no contact with them since Saturday.

“Upon arrival, what began as a welfare check quickly escalated into a tragic scene.

“Officers discovered a male individual, lifeless and in a state of decomposition, on the living room couch.

“Further investigation within the home revealed two additional victims, a female and another male, in the master bedroom, both without signs of life.”

Powell said a puppy was also found lifeless.

“The Fire Department conducted a thorough examination of the premises and identified a generator within the home as the likely cause of carbon monoxide poisoning, resulting in this tragic loss of life.”

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