Disturbing autopsy findings were released today on the horror of the final moments in the Mather house in Nortfield Center in January. Fire swept through the home, killed all four members of the family. The report from the Summit County Medical Examiner suggests all of the victims except for the father were dead before the explosion and fire at their Skyhaven Drive on January 11th.
The death certificates officially list father Jeffrey Mather as a suicide caused by burns after spraying the house with gasoline to set fire to the home. His wife Cynthia's death is listed as poisoning by Prozac, but manner of death is not known. The autopsy showed no evidence of smoke inhalation.
The deaths of daughters Alyson and Ruth Ann were both ruled homicide by "inflicted asphyxia" and there was no evidence of smoke inhalation.
The Medical Examiner did not rule which parent, if any, was responsible for the deaths of the two girls or how they were asphyxiated.
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(Summit ME's Office) The death certifications are complete for the victims of the Northfield house fire/explosion that occurred on January 11, 2016.
The rulings are as follows:
- Jeffrey Michael Mather: Cause of Death is Thermal Injury with Full Body Burns.
Manner of Death is Suicide
How Injury Occurred: The victim burned himself after using gasoline to set fire to his residence.
- Cynthia Lynn Mather: Cause of Death is Acute Fluoxetine Poisoning(Prozac)
Manner of Death is Undetermined
How Injury Occurred: Overdose due to suicide vs. homicide of victim recovered from residential arson without evidence of smoke inhalation.
- Alyson Rose Mather: Cause of Death is Probable Asphyxial Mechanism of Uncertain Type
Manner of Death is Homicide
How Injury Occurred: Probable inflicted asphyxia of child recovered from residential arson without evidence of smoke inhalation.
- Ruth Ann Mather: Cause of Death is Probable Asphyxial Mechanism of Uncertain Type
Manner of Death is Homicide
How Injury Occurred: Probable inflicted asphyxia of child recovered from residential arson without evidence of smoke inhalation.
It is unclear which parent is responsible for the death of the two children or how the children were asphyxiated and we will not speculate on the circumstances