A Canadian man is suing a resort in the Dominican Republic after his wife and 8-year-old son died from food poisoning he claims they contracted from the hotel's buffet.
On Jan. 27, Stephen Gougeon, 38, filed a wrongful death lawsuit seeking nearly $7 million that alleges his wife, 41-year-old April Gougeon, 41, and his son, Oliver, died within 24 hours of arriving at the Viva Dominicus Beach at Wyndham Resort, according to court papers obtained by Law & Crime. The lawsuit lists Wyndham Hotels and Air Transat as defendants.
“We planned this trip so our family could get some rest and relaxation. The thought that something like this could happen was the furthest thing from our minds,” Gougeon said in a statement shared by his lawyer.
Gougeon told The New York Times that the tragedy has left him broken.
“I don’t think I’ll ever recover. I’ve lost my wife, who I loved so much, and my son, who was just such a beautiful person and who I was so looking forward to seeing grow up," he said.
A spokesperson for Air Transat issued a statement in the wake of the lawsuit, saying the company was "deeply saddened" by the deaths, but it rejects the allegations, according to People magazine.
“At the time of these events, we supported the Gougeon family,” the statement said. “In such cases, we act with diligence, prudence, and compassion, making every effort to assist our clients. Moreover, we choose our suppliers with great care and the hotel operator has assured us of its full cooperation with the authorities in shedding light on these tragic deaths.”
The Independent has requested comment from Wyndham Hotels and Resorts and Air Transat.
According to the lawsuit, the family ate at a buffet at the Wyndham Resort in late December. They then got sick, prompting them to visit the resort's on-site clinic, but their conditions worsened.
April and Oliver died at nearby hospitals. A coroner's report determined they died from secondary causes related to food poisoning, according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit alleges that the food preparations were not sufficiently sanitary, that the family did not receive timely medical evaluation and treatment, and that the resort's staff were not properly trained to identify and respond to emergencies.
“We called asking for help,” Stephen Gougeon said. “They did not take our call seriously, did not follow up on our request for medical help, and did not check in on us. When they finally responded after our further plea, there appeared to be confusion about how to handle the situation. These delays cost precious time that could have been used to treat our illness. And in the end, it cost my wife and my son their lives.”
The attorney representing the family, Meghan Hull Jacquin, told Law & Crime that the Gougeon family was "failed on so many levels."
“Tens of thousands of Canadians purchase these all-inclusive packages each year thinking a resort vacation is safe," she said. "The Gougeons are taking action against the companies whose negligence allowed this to happen, not only to get answers and realize a sense of justice for themselves, but to shine light on these events, effect change in the failed processes and procedures and ideally protect other vacationers from having to experience anything similar.”
