Jay and Kristen Ruskey

Jay and Kristen Ruskey.Credit : GoFundMe

NEED TO KNOW

Officials have shared a cause of death for a California couple
Jay and Kristen Ruskey, 53 and 49, respectively, died of carbon monoxide poisoning
The entrepreneurs leave three children behind

The cause of death has been revealed for a husband and wife who died unexpectedly at a residence in California in early February.

Farmers and founders of Frinj Coffee, Jay and Kristen Ruskey, died as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning, the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office said on Thursday, March 12.

A “combination carbon monoxide/smoke detector was found in their room, but it was found to be disconnected,” the sheriff’s department said.

Their deaths have been ruled an accident.

Jay and Kristen died in their sleep at a home in Cambria on Feb. 8, leaving behind three children. Jay was 53 and Kristen was 49, the Santa Barbara Independent reported.

A GoFundMe account noted the deceased had two 16-year-old sons and a 19-year-old daughter.

“It is with profound and shattered hearts that we share the news of the tragic passing of our beloved Jay and Kristen Ruskey,” the family said in a statement to the outlet.

“They were the pillars of our family, known not only for their devotion to one another but for their unwavering love for their children. To those who knew them, they were the first to offer a helping hand to others. Their loss leaves a void that can never be filled, but their legacy lives on through their children, who were their greatest pride and joy,” it continued.

As of Thursday, the GoFundMe, which was created to assist “the Ruskey family with funeral costs, memorial arrangements, and to alleviate immediate financial pressure,” had raised more than $178,000 of its $200,000 goal.

“[T]he Ruskey’s did so much for this community, and it’s an honor to bring us all together in their memory,” organizer Jose Caballero said of the late husband, father, businessman and friend.

PEOPLE reached out to Frinj Coffee for comment.

Frinj co-founder Andy Mullins has taken on the title of CEO since the deaths, per the Santa Barbara Independent, and called the losses a “gut punch.”

The family has asked for donations in lieu of flowers, per the outlet.