Amazon Delivery Driver, 31, Dies From Carbon Monoxide Poisoning After Texting That Van’s Strange Smell Made Her Dizzy

An Amazon delivery driver died inside her van after suffering carbon monoxide poisoning, with newly released investigative records revealing that she had complained of a strange smell making her dizzy and giving her a severe headache shortly before she was found unconscious.

Jaylene Vargas Gonzalez, 31, was discovered inside her delivery vehicle in Fruitland Park, Florida, on August 10. She was later pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.

For nearly three months, the circumstances surrounding her death remained unclear. Authorities initially treated the incident as a possible hazardous-material emergency after first responders encountered an unusual odor inside the vehicle.

Now, the medical examiner has determined that Gonzalez died from carbon monoxide toxicity caused by accidental exposure inside the van.

According to investigative records obtained by PEOPLE, Gonzalez sent a text message to someone at approximately 4:20 p.m. on the day she died, reporting that the vehicle was producing a smell similar to ammonia. She said the odor was making her dizzy and giving her a severe headache.

The warning came as she continued working her delivery route.

Investigators also examined Amazon logistics information indicating that the van had become stuck in sand earlier that day, approximately six hours before her death. The vehicle was subsequently reported to be operational again, and Gonzalez continued making deliveries.

Surveillance footage from inside the van captured her sorting packages in the rear compartment. At one point, she appeared to experience involuntary muscle movements before becoming still and collapsing onto the floor.

The vehicle was eventually discovered after a resident noticed that an Amazon delivery van had remained parked near his driveway for approximately four hours.

Patrick Miranda contacted the Lake County Sheriff’s Office to request a welfare check. He said the vehicle appeared to be running, but nobody seemed to be moving inside.

When deputies arrived at approximately 7:22 p.m., they found Gonzalez unresponsive in the back of the van.

The situation quickly became a hazardous-material response. According to Miranda, an officer opening the vehicle appeared to react to fumes and had to move away. Firefighters wearing protective equipment were called to the scene, and the vehicle was examined for potentially dangerous substances.

Gonzalez was removed from the van, and emergency personnel attempted life-saving measures before transporting her to Leesburg Regional Hospital. She was pronounced dead at approximately 8:24 p.m.

The medical examiner’s findings later confirmed that the cause of death was carbon monoxide toxicity and classified the manner of death as accidental.

Testing also detected elevated carbon monoxide levels inside the van. Investigators discovered a dent in its exhaust pipe.

Authorities subsequently restarted the vehicle and measured carbon monoxide levels at ten-minute intervals. The readings increased as the engine continued running, according to the investigative report.

The autopsy found that Gonzalez’s blood carboxyhemoglobin saturation — a measure of carbon monoxide exposure — was 58 percent. No evidence of traumatic injuries or natural disease was identified.

The findings provide a clearer explanation of how the 31-year-old mother died, but questions remain about why dangerous fumes entered the vehicle’s interior and whether the damaged exhaust system could have been detected earlier.

An attorney representing Gonzalez’s family said the medical examiner’s findings answered the question of what killed her but left serious questions about how the incident happened. The family is seeking answers as it grieves her loss.

Amazon previously said it was deeply saddened by the tragedy and was cooperating fully with local authorities.

Gonzalez’s death has renewed attention on the dangers of carbon monoxide, a colorless and odorless gas that can cause dizziness, headaches, confusion and loss of consciousness. Exposure can become fatal when dangerous concentrations accumulate in an enclosed space.

For Gonzalez’s loved ones, the discovery that she had reported feeling dizzy and experiencing a severe headache before collapsing makes the tragedy even more heartbreaking.

A routine delivery shift ended in a fatal emergency inside the very vehicle she depended on to do her job.

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