Carbon monoxide poisoning likely killed girl, documents say

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Carbon monoxide poisoning is the apparent cause of death for a 4-year-old Nebraska girl, whose Kansas grandfather is charged with first-degree murder.

The Topeka Capital-Journal on Thursday cited Shawnee County District Court records related to the death of Brandy Funk. Testing found a carbon monoxide level of 65 percent in the girl’s blood. A charging document says a 10 percent level is considered lethal.

Brandy, of Beatrice, Nebraska, died in July.

Court documents say Brandy’s grandfather, 56-year-old Timothy Wayne Funk Sr., acknowledged he left a generator running in the garage of his Silver Lake, Kansas, home with its door shut when he was watching the girl and another granddaughter. The other child survived.

Funk was discharged from state prison in August 2012 after serving time for driving under the influence, fourth or subsequent offense in June 2008.

Tina Funk, Timothy Funk’s daughter and Brandy Funk’s mother, has contended that the death was an accident.