Tragic Carbon Monoxide Incident Claims College Student’s Life

A college student in Rhode Island was discovered unconscious in a car during a blizzard and ultimately succumbed to carbon monoxide poisoning, as reported by local authorities on Tuesday.

Emergency services responded around 7:20 p.m. on Monday after receiving alerts about someone inside a vehicle in a parking area near Bellevue Street.

Upon their arrival, they found Joseph Boutros, a 21-year-old student from Salve Regina University, unconscious inside his snow-covered car.

It appears Boutros had been driving while charging his cell phone when the incident occurred. He was later taken to the emergency room at Newport Hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly after.

Authorities described this unfortunate event as likely accidental and advised the public to regularly check exhaust pipes for snow or debris when idling. Blockages can lead to a dangerous buildup of carbon monoxide.

Boutros was a 6-foot-1, 290-pound junior majoring in criminal justice and criminology, originally from Bohemia, New York. He was also a member of the university’s football team.

The football team expressed their grief on social media, remembering Boutros for his infectious smile and positive demeanor. “He was more than a teammate; he was family,” they stated.

In the backdrop of this tragic event, the National Weather Service reported that Providence saw 37.9 inches of snow during the storm, marking it as the most significant single snowfall event at TF Green International Airport since 1978.