Investigators on Friday identified a Massachusetts couple and their two daughters as the victims of suspected carbon monoxide poisoning after they were found dead inside their New Hampshire vacation home on Christmas Day.

The bodies of Matthew Goldstein, 52, an elementary school teacher in Brookline, and his wife Lyla Goldstein, 54, a project manager at Microsoft, were found by officers conducting a wellness check at 2962 Province Lake Road in Wakefield, New Hampshire, just before 4:30 p.m. on Christmas.

Their daughters, Valerie Goldstein, 22, who was also a teacher, and Violet Goldstein, 19, a college student, also died in the accident.

The family lived in Newton, Massachusetts, and were visiting New Hampshire for the holidays, according to New Hampshire Fire Marshal Sean Toomey.

‘Tragic’: State fire marshal answers questions after Mass. family found dead in NH vacation home

Toomey said investigators haven’t yet figured out what caused the apparent leak of carbon monoxide from the propane gas heating system, also noting that there were no carbon monoxide alarms found in the home.

The family was expected to attend a holiday event before their deaths. Toomey said three victims were found in a bedroom and one in a bathroom.

“When they did not show up at the event, family members contacted local authorities and requested a welfare check, ultimately leading to the discovery of the victims,” Toomey said. “Additionally, no working carbon monoxide alarms have been found in the home.”

Brookline Public Schools Superintendent Linus Guillory confirmed that Matthew Goldstein was a teacher in town.

“We are deeply heartbroken to learn of the passing of Mr. Matt Goldstein, an exceptional educator and a beloved member of our PSB and Baker School Community,” Guillory said in a statement. “Mr. Goldstein’s dedication to inspiring students and shaping young minds has left an indelible mark on all who had the privilege of knowing him.”

The Edith C. Baker School where Goldstein worked serves the Chestnut Hill and South Brookline neighborhoods of Brookline and is one of the largest elementary schools in the town.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends, colleagues, and students during this profoundly difficult time,” Guillory added. “We are committed to providing the support and resources needed for the Baker School Community as we grieve this tremendous loss together.”

Baker School Principal Saeed Ola said educators are assembling a support plan for students and staff.

“Tragic news like this is difficult to process, and we know that our entire school community will need support during this challenging time,” Ola said in a statement. “To this end, we are working closely with our school-based and district-level clinicians along with district-level staff to develop a support plan for our students and staff. In the meantime, we encourage you to reach out if you have any immediate concerns or need assistance.”

In a statement, Rhode Island School of Design President Crystal Williams said that Violet was a first-year student at the school.

“This is an unimaginable loss for Violet’s loved ones, friends, faculty, peers, and all of us in the RISD community, and we are currently reaching out to Violet’s closest friends,” President Williams said. “As we process and mourn this tragedy, please take comfort in your loved ones and keep Violet and her family in your thoughts.”

School officials say although the college is closed for winter break, counseling, and psychological services will still be available for students and faculty who feel they need help processing the loss.

“I know that you join me in feeling utter heartbreak at the loss of such a promising young member of our community, along with her family, on what should have been a joyous occasion,” she said.

Friends of the Goldstein family laid flowers at their Margaret Road home in Newton, where family friend Jesse King said Valerie’s 22nd birthday party was scheduled for Friday night.

“It shows how powerful their love really was,” King said. “The family was a perfect example of what a family should be like. The family was super close to each other. They did themed Halloween costumes it was really cute.”

King was particularly close with Valerie during high school.

“She was love personified,” he explained. “She was everybody’s friend.”

A GoFundMe has been set up to raise money for a memorial bench plaque at the Baker School. If you’d like to donate, you can click here.

Anyone with information for investigators is encouraged to call the New Hampshire State Fire Marshal’s Office at 603-223-4289 or fmo@dos.nh.gov.

Wakefield is a small town in the Lakes Region, east of Lake Winnipesaukee. The town’s population was 5,201 at the 2020 census.

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As one of the original 13 colonies, New Hampshire’s oldest town is over 400 years old. But did you know the state actually started in two different settlements?

According to the Rye Historical Society, Samuel De Champlain first documented New Hampshire’s islands, which were inhabited by Indigenous peoples, in 1605. Yet, the English did not settle the land until years later. In 1623, Captain John Mason of England sent two divisions of men to establish a fishing colony at the mouth of the Piscataqua River, according to the New Hampshire Almanac. However, when the two groups hit land in what is now known as New Hampshire, they landed about 20 miles apart.

The division led by Scotsman David Thomson set up a stone house near Odiorne Point at the mouth of the river, a place they called Pannaway, which is now Rye. Meanwhile, brothers and fish merchants Edward and Thomas led their group to settle in Dover, which they originally called Northam.

Together with Portsmouth, Exeter and Hampton, these early settlements became a royal province in 1679, existing under the jurisdiction of Massachusetts from 1698-1741. New Hampshire, named after Captain Mason’s county in England, officially became a state in 1788, making the oldest towns 165 years older than the state.

Rye continued to thrive as a fishing and farming community in the 1800s, and Dover used nearby rivers to power mills for cotton-making, eventually expanding to the brick and shoe manufacturing industries.

NH history: Oldest home in New Hampshire is literally older than the country. Here’s where it is

Visit Dover and Rye

While updated to fit a modern world, both of New Hampshire’s oldest towns are still in touch with their rural heritage. Though Dover is now one of the state’s most populated towns, several public parks, walking trails and water activities allow you to reconnect with the town’s natural beauty. Rye has maintained a much smaller population, yet the fishing town is home to three beautiful beaches, endless acres of freshwater marsh and scenic coastal parks.

Historical roots are also evident throughout each town, whether in old buildings and houses lining the streets or special attractions commemorating the past. In Dover, history lovers can explore the town’s roots at the Woodman Institute Museum, and in Rye, the Rye Historical Society and Rye Town Museum give a glimpse into the founding of the state.

The death of a Newton, Massachusetts, family of four in New Hampshire this Christmas has left many in the city in mourning.

The Goldsteins — husband and wife Matthew and Lyla and their daughters Violet and Valerie — were found on Wednesday dead inside their vacation home in Wakefield of what investigators suspect was carbon monoxide poisoning — there were no carbon monoxide detectors at the home, authorities said Friday.

Valerie, 22, was supposed to be having a birthday party Friday. Instead, friends gathered to remember her.

“She was the most loving, accepting person you could possibly imagine,” Jessie King told reporters.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better friend,” said Keren Kohane, calling the family accepting, close, “warm and welcoming.”

Matthew Goldstein was a teacher at Brookline Public Schools — flowers and messages of condolence were left at the K-8 Edith Baker School, where he taught.

“Mr. Goldstein’s dedication to inspiring students and shaping young minds has left an indelible mark on all who had the privilege of knowing him,” Superintendent Linus Guillory Jr. said in a message to the community.

A Massachusetts teacher is among four people who died in a suspected carbon monoxide incident in New Hampshire on Christmas Day.

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Valerie’s friend Conor Sheehy remembered him similarly: “He was beloved as a teacher. He would constantly post about how students would return back to his classroom to come visit him.”

Violet’s roommate at the Rhode Island School of Design, Finleigh Lewis, said in a statement obtained by The Boston Globe that she was “a beautiful source of light,” kind and caring.

Investigators have so far confirmed that Matthew Goldstein died of carbon monoxide poisoning, with testing still pending for the rest of the family, but officials described what happened as apparently a tragic accident.

“At this time we’ve identified the homes heating system to be the source of the carbon monoxide leak,” New Hampshire State Fire Marshal Sean Toomey said.

Four people who hadn’t been heard from on Christmas were found dead inside a home in Wakefield, New Hampshire, from apparent carbon monoxide poisoning.

The bodies were found inside the family’s home on Province Lake Road after authorities were called for a wellbeing check around 4:21 p.m. — family members reported that they didn’t show up to a holiday event they were supposed to attend.

Carbon monoxide is a poisonous gas with no odor or color produced in the burning of fuel, and Toomey urged the public to ensure they have working alarms in their homes to prevent further tragedies like the one that befell the Goldsteins.