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.
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“I couldn’t have asked for a better friend,” said Keren Kohane, calling the family accepting, close, “warm and welcoming.”
Handout | NBC10 Boston
At left, a photo of Valerie and Violet Goldstein. At right, a note remembering their father, teacher Matthew Goldstein, on the door of the Edith Baker School in Brookline, Massachusetts, after the family’s deaths on Christmas Day 2024 at their vacation home in Wakefield, New Hampshire.
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.
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“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.
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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.
HAMPSTEAD, N.H. (WHDH) – Authorities have launched an investigation after responding to a reported untimely death in Hampstead, New Hampshire, officials said.
The Attorney General’s Office is investigating the untimely death of a woman at a home in Hampstead, Attorney General John M. Formella announced.
While the investigation is just beginning, there is no known threat to the general public at this time.
The exact circumstances surrounding this incident remain under active investigation.
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This is a developing news story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest details.
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‘New Hampshire Outright’ began more than 30 years ago, founded by a group of parents at the University of New Hampshire. It’s the only LGBTQ+ organization in the state with a dedicated focus on young people, their allies, and their families.
ERROL, N.H. (WHDH) – One person is dead and five others have been hospitalized after a head-on crash in Columbia, New Hampshire on Friday night, officials said.
Officers responding to a reported crash on Route 3 around 9 p.m. determined a Chevrolet Silverado heading southbound was struck head-on by a Chevrolet Camaro that was heading northbound and crossed the centerline, according to New Hampshire State Police.
Two adults and three children in the Silverado were taken to Upper Connecticut Valley Hospital in Colebrook. Two had non-life-threatening injuries and three had life-threatening injuries. All five were later transferred to Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center.
The driver of the Camaro, Courtney Diamond, 25, of Pelham, New Hampshire, was pronounced dead at the scene.
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Anyone with information that may assist in the investigation is asked to contact Trooper Jacob Ingerson at (603) 846-3333 or Jacob.J.Ingerson@dos.nh.gov.
(Copyright (c) 2026 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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