Gas-powered pressure washer suspected in CO death in Howard County

A 45-year-old Greentown woman was found dead in a pole barn on her Howard County property on Sept. 19 after using a gasoline-powered pressure washer, and officials said investigators suspect accidental carbon monoxide exposure. The Howard County Coroner's Office identified the woman as Lacy Leigha Alexander and said the coroner was dispatched to the residence at about 3:56 p.m. that day. A forensic pathologist performed an autopsy on Sept. 22, but the final cause and manner of death remain pending toxicology and laboratory results, coroner David Granger said.

Authorities said Alexander was cleaning a stall area inside the barn with a gas-powered washer when she was discovered. Foul play is not suspected, the coroner's office said, and the initial investigation points toward carbon monoxide poisoning as the probable cause. The coroner cautioned that the investigation is ongoing until forensic tests are completed.

Alexander, a married mother of two teenagers, worked for more than two decades as a laboratory technician and was active in the Greentown community, according to her obituary and an online fundraiser. The obituary described her as someone who enjoyed crafting and running...