UPDATED: 06/09/2017 - Sheriff's Office Investigating After Two Found Dead Along I-4

Date Added: June 09, 2017 11:00 pm

Andrew Gant
Public Information Office

UPDATE: 06/09/17 - 11:04 p.m.

The Sheriff's Office has received the medical examiner's report regarding the deaths of Daniel and Heather Kelsey. Their autopsies determined the Kelseys died as a result of accidental fentanyl overdose. The Sheriff's Office investigation remains open at this time.

____________________

UPDATE: Jan. 5

An autopsy performed Tuesday did not reveal any signs of trauma on either Daniel or Heather Kelsey. One of the victims did test presumptive positive for the presence of drugs. At this point in the investigation, we are not able to release any specifics as to who tested positive or for which drugs. No official causes of death were immediately determined as a result of the autopsy. The causes of death for each victim will be determined through the results of their full toxicology tests.

____________________

Update: Jan. 2

Our investigators are awaiting the preliminary results of autopsies on Daniel and Heather Kelsey. Those autopsies have not yet been scheduled by the medical examiner’s office. As soon as we have those results, we will release an update with preliminary causes of death, if available, and any other details we’re able to release from our investigation.

Update: 3:00 p.m.

The identities of the deceased are Daniel A. Kelsey (DOB 5/17/1984) and Heather L. Kelsey (DOB 3/5/1986). An autopsy will be conducted in an effort to determine a preliminary cause of death of each party. Daniel and Heather Kelsey lived in Ormond Beach.

____________________

SHERIFF'S OFFICE INVESTIGATING AFTER TWO FOUND DEAD ALONG I-4; CHILDREN UNHARMED

The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office is investigating today after a Florida Highway Patrol trooper checking on a vehicle parked along Interstate 4 discovered two dead people. Three children found inside the vehicle were alive and unharmed.

 Deputies responded to the incident around 2:08 a.m. at the 122 mile marker of eastbound I-4 near DeLand. The FHP trooper was checking on a maroon SUV parked along the highway with its hazard lights on. The trooper discovered two adults, a 32-year-old man and 30-year-old woman, unconscious outside the SUV. They were pronounced dead at the scene shortly thereafter. 

 The three young children found unharmed inside the vehicle were the deceased couple's children. The boys range in age from approximately 8 months to 4 years. They were taken to Halifax Health Medical Center in Daytona Beach for precautionary purposes. An investigator with the state Department of Children and Families also responded to the hospital to aid in the investigation.

While investigators with the Sheriff’s Office Major Case Unit did not immediately identify any obvious signs of foul play, they are continuing to investigate the circumstances of the deaths.