Belize officials revealed the cause of deaths of three Massachusetts women who died in a resort hotel room last month.
Authorities have identified the woman as Kaoutar Naqqad, 23, 24 and 26, Wafae El-Arar, 24 and 26, after being found dead at Royal Cajul Beach Resort in San Pedro on February 22.
Gian Cho, executive director of National Forensics and Science Services (NFSS), told local outlets I love FM The test results revealed that “three victims were all fatal exposure to carbon monoxide.”
“So carbon monoxide is revealed as a contribution or fundamental exposure that led to acute pulmonary edema, which was the ultimate cause of death,” Cho said. “We can do a very complete and comprehensive toxicology screening of blood and liver tissue from these victims, giving families a definitive answer and closure as to what contributed to their deaths.”
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Authorities have identified the woman as Kaoutar Naqqad, 23, 24 and 26, Wafae El-Arar, 24 and 26, after being found dead at Royal Cajul Beach Resort in San Pedro on February 22. (gofundme/ linkedin/istock)
Cho added that authorities not only tested the drugs in the system, but also tested “hundreds of different possible chemicals and toxins that they could have been exposed to.”
“Again… no illicit drugs were found in the results of toxicology. The only thing that was at a high or significant level was carbon monoxide levels,” he told Love FM.
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Police Commissioner Chester Williams told Love FM that authorities tested the carbon monoxide room after the American bodies were found in their rooms, and the tests returned to negative.
Belize is located in Central America. (Google Maps)
“Nevertheless, we follow the information we got through the US Embassy, supported by someone who was in the room before, indicating that we used our own carbon monoxide tester and detected carbon monoxide in one of the rooms,” Williams said.
He suggested that because hotel rooms have gas-equipped heaters, carbon monoxide can only be detected if the heater is on for a few hours, and that it may not be detectable if it is turned off for a long period of time.
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It appears that hotel staff tried to contact the group on Friday before they were discovered. According to the Associated Press, resort employees used their master keys to enter their rooms Saturday morning.
Fox News Digital reached out to the resort.
Aerial photograph of San Pedro, Belize, adjacent to the Caribbean Sea. (Getty Images/Istock)
The victim's families shared a joint statement on social media, with the three women saying “each of which the world's beloved light was lost too quickly.”
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“Our family and everyone who loved these women have been crushed and they have struggled to understand this serious and sudden loss,” their family said. “In this statement, our family hopes to honor Kautar, Iman and Wafa by telling the world about the girls we know and love.”
They went on to describe Mullah as “a beacon of shining spirit and kindness.”
San Pedro is a popular tourist destination in Belize. (Getty Images/Istock)
“She wholeheartedly embraced life and cherished all the souls who shared her journey,” the statement reads.
Naqqad's “kindness and warmth touched everyone she met.”
“She was caring, caring and deeply committed to her loved ones. Her heart is full of generosity, always putting others in front of her, providing ears, pleasant words and unwavering support,” the statement said.
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El Ararr was “full of life, dreams and unshakable faith.”
“Her name, loyalty and loyalty were a true reflection of who she was.
Her family said.
