Authorities are investigating the possibility that three American women who were found dead in their Belize resort room last month may have died from carbon monoxide poisoning, according to reports.
Kaoutar Naqqad, 23, Imane Maliah, 24, and Wafae El-Arar, 26 — who are all from Revere, Massachusetts — were found dead in their room at the Royal Kahal Beach Resort in San Pedro, Belize on February 22.
They were last seen on CCTV footage entering their room a day before their bodies were found by resort staff, and early pathology findings suggested they could have been dead for 20 hours before they were discovered.
Families of the three women spoke out this week, saying the circumstances around their deaths remain “unclear and suspicious”.
First responders at the scene reportedly said the women were found with froth around their mouths, according to the New York Post, and local police said in a statement that alcohol and gummies were found in their hotel room, according to Channel 5 Belize.
“We’re not saying at this time that the gummies caused death, but we’re looking at every possibility,” Local Police Commissioner Chester Williams said at the time.
The women’s bodies have since been taken back to the US, where the Daily Mail reports a second autopsy is being conducted by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Massachusetts. The Daily Mail reports a source close to one of the women’s families saying preliminary investigations indicate a fatal build-up of fluid in their lungs was caused by carbon monoxide poisoning, though this has not been confirmed.
That source said investigators had uncovered other non-fatal incidents of carbon monoxide poisoning at the Royal Kahal resort, including at least one other American.
Speaking out for the first time following the tragedy, the families of Naqqad, Mallah and El-Arar issued a joint statement to People on Tuesday urging authorities to conduct a thorough investigation into the deaths.
"We ask for continued prayers, patience, and privacy as we navigate this profound sorrow," they said.
The families also shared memories of each of the women.
They said Naqqad, a college student who was a support worker in a group home for troubled youth, wanted to be a police officer and was “compassionate, caring, and deeply devoted to those she loved”.
Mallah was remembered for being a “beacon of kindness” with an “infectious smile, sparkling wit, and an unwaveringly optimistic heart.”
The families said: “Imane's excitement for life was matched only by her compassion for others, making her a cherished friend and an irreplaceable part of the community.”
El-Arar, a research technician at Massachusetts General Hospital, had dedicated herself to reproductive rights, and was remembered for being "full of life, dreams and unwavering faith”.
After their deaths, supporters and loved ones set up GoFundMe pages to help their families cover the cost of transporting their bodies back to the US and their funerals.
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