The Royal Kahal Beach Resort in San Pedro, Belize, abruptly closed a few days ago. The resort’s management informed guests in an email about the closure and offered refunds for their reservations. In a March 7th email to a guest, the resort stated, “We have just been informed by our manager that Royal Kahal has been ordered to close temporarily,” adding, “This was completely unexpected… Please know this is the last thing we wanted.” While the reason for the closure remains unclear, authorities are investigating the deaths of three American women in one of its rooms.
On February 22, Kaoutar Naqqad, 23, Imane Mallah, 24, and Wafae El Arar, 26, were found dead in their room. Initial reports suggested a drug overdose due to froth found around their mouths, and alcohol, along with “gummies,” was discovered inside the room.
This conclusion was met with scepticism from the victims’ families. According to MailOnline, a source close to the families informed the news outlet that early findings from a second autopsy, being conducted in the US, suggest that carbon monoxide poisoning might be the actual cause of death.
The Belizean authorities initially ruled out carbon monoxide poisoning. Colin Gillet, the fire chief of the Belize National Fire Service, confirmed that officers conducted two separate tests for carbon monoxide and “found nothing.”
DailyOnline reported that a separate investigation has found that other non-fatal incidents related to carbon monoxide have occurred at the Royal Kahal resort. The news outlet added that investigators are now in contact with another American tourist who had suffered a similar incident.
The remains of the three women have returned to the US, and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Massachusetts is conducting a second autopsy. As of now, the official by the examiner is still pending for at least another month, DailyOnline reported.
In a statement, the women’s families called the deaths “mysterious” and “suspicious,” adding, “We are seeking answers to understand what happened in Belize.” They also urged both Belizean and US authorities to provide clarity on the circumstances.
According to the news outlet, Ira Novoselsky, a city councillor from the women’s hometown of Revere, accused Belizean authorities of obstructing the investigation. He claimed that Belizean have been slow to provide answers, only offering negative responses, such as blaming the women and mentioning the discovery of “gummies and vapes.” He added, “We don’t know if they had drinks or what happened before they returned to the hotel, so everything is up in the air.” MailOnline reported that “Novoselsky speculated that Belize authorities were ‘trying to protect their own’ and ‘make the city [of San Pedro] look good.'”
Authorities in Belize have sent out human toxicology samples to the US—that official report is expected to be issued in the coming weeks.
