By Adam Swift
The families of three Revere women found dead in their Belize resort hotel rooms while on vacation last month are still seeking answers to their cause of death.
The cause of death for the victims, identified as Wafae El Arar, 26, Kaoutar Naqqad, 23, and Imane Mallah, 24, was determined to be acute pulmonary edema, or a build up of fluid in the lungs, according to officials in Belize.
The three women were found dead in a Belize resort hotel room on Feb. 22. According to reports, the state’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner accepted custody of the three bodies for autopsy earlier this month. The autopsy report and the women’s cause and manner of death remains pending.
In a joint statement released on Monday, the families of the three women stated that they are still awaiting the results of the primary investigation in Belize and the secondary review being conducted in Massachusetts.
“We speak today because we want the public and authorities, particularly those in Belize, to hear this: Kaoutar, Imane and Wafae deserve your best,” the statement reads. “They deserve an honest and full investigation and we ask all of those in power in both Belize and the United States to join us in demanding answers to the true cause of this tragedy.
In the statement, the families stated that they are concerned that the toxicology reports, which they said Belizean authorities initially indicated would be available within two weeks, have not been released to the families.
They stated that they are also deeply alarmed by news reports which suggest that carbon monoxide levels in the hotel could have been at dangerously high levels and that the resort has now suddenly closed without public explanation.
“We believe the families of all guests — past and future — deserve a clear explanation for this action,” the families stated. “We respectfully urge the resort’s management and Belizean authorities to share any information they have immediately, so that no other family has to endure the unimaginable pain we must now bear. Our loved ones deserve transparency and all who visit Belize, especially the resort, deserve to know they are safe.”
The families also stated that they are grateful for the outpouring of support they have received from family, friends, leaders and loved ones since their passing.
“We appreciate the privacy that has been extended to our families as we grieve and are also grateful to the media who have helped ensure that Wafae, Imane, Kaoutar and the impact of their loss are a central part of your news coverage,” they stated.
