Mother founds carbon monoxide awareness foundation

A mother whose 11-year-old son died from carbon monoxide poisoning has founded a new organisation designed to raise awareness of the deadly gas.

Jeffrey Lee Williams passed away in June 2013 after both he and his mother checked into a hotel room that, unbeknownst to them, was leaking a deadly amount of carbon monoxide into the air.

Now Jeffrey’s parents, including mother Jeannie Williams, who barely survived the tragic incident, have set out on a mission to educate people about the dangers of carbon monoxide.

According to the organisation’s official website, The Jeffrey Lee Williams Foundation is a non-profit dedicated to preventing carbon monoxide poisoning through greater uptake of carbon monoxide sensors.

“No one should get sick from carbon monoxide poisoning. No one should die from carbon monoxide poisoning. As long as there are carbon monoxide detectors and places to put them, tragedies like the one experienced by the Williams family can be avoided,” it reads.

Carbon monoxide can spread quickly and without warning. It is odourless, tasteless, and has symptoms that can often be misdiagnosed for a less serious ailment. For that reason, proper carbon monoxide testing is critical to ensure the safety and well-being of those in the vicinity.

In an interview with ABC News, Ms Williams said that while the initiative still had a long way to go, she knew Jeffrey would have been “excited” about it, and would have wanted to spread this vital message.

The owner of the South Carolina hotel in which Jeffrey died has been charged with three counts of involuntary manslaughter, according to ABC News.

Three other individuals employed by the management company responsible for the hotel have been barred from performing plumbing, heating or fire sprinkler contracting work.

The Jeffrey Lee Williams Foundation is still in the early stages of funding, but plans to begin collecting donations in the near future. For more information, visit the official Jeffrey Lee Williams Foundation website.