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New details emerge in deaths of 3 Revere women found dead in Belize
All of them died from acute pulmonary edemas — a buildup of fluid in the lungs — though it remains unclear what caused that fluid.
The cause of death for each of the three Revere women who were found dead in their Belize hotel room has been announced by officials to be an “acute pulmonary edema,” a buildup of fluid in the lungs.
The victims, identified as Wafae El Arar, 26, Kaoutar Naqqad, 23, and Imane Mallah, 24, were discovered over the weekend by staff at the Royal Kahal Beach Resort in San Pedro, where they were reportedly staying while on vacation. Investigators said the women had vomit and froth around their mouths, suggesting a possible overdose, and that alcohol and “gummies” had been recovered from the room.
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It remains unclear what caused the fluid buildup, a question that likely won’t be answered for about a month while tissue and lung samples collected during the autopsies are studied, Belizean officials said in an interview Wednesday with WBZ.
“What led to acute pulmonary edema is what is pending investigation,” said Gian Cho, executive director of the Belize National Forensic Science Service.
Cho said items collected from the room will be tested for drugs, and toxicology samples will be sent to a lab in the United States for further testing. The first results will come in within the next one to two weeks.
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“The sooner we can identify what led to the death of these three individuals in that hotel room, we can also alleviate the concern that is there within the community as to the mysterious and sudden deaths of these young women,” Cho said.
The women’s bodies are scheduled to be returned to the U.S. today.
In a statement Tuesday, Revere Mayor Patrick M. Keefe Jr. said he has heard “widespread concern” over the level of transparency in the investigation, as well as “the media narrative painted by Belizean authorities.” Keefe declined a request to comment further on the victims’ causes of death.
Keefe, in his statement, referenced the Level 2 Travel Advisory for Belize, issued due to increased crime. But, Belizean officials have maintained that there is no indication of foul play.
“There were no signs of violence on the bodies of the three young women,” said Belize Police Commissioner Chester Williams.
Williams said the investigation has been in-depth. At the crime scene, they worked with pathologists and the U.S. Embassy to canvass the room and gather evidence. Police have traced the victims’ movements during the few days they were in Belize, including what they did, where they went, and what they purchased, and are waiting for the results of the analysis of the gummies to come back. He said there have not been any incidents of this kind “in recent and even long-term memory” in Belize.
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“This is a first for us,” he said. “We certainly want to get to the bottom of this and find out exactly what took place.”
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