Toxicology Report Confirms Carbon Monoxide Poisoning in San Pedro Hotel Deaths

The Belize National Forensic Science Service has confirmed that the three American women who died in a San Pedro hotel last month succumbed to fatal carbon monoxide poisoning. Executive Director Gian Cho disclosed the findings on Wednesday, following a comprehensive toxicology analysis that took approximately three weeks to complete.

The three young women were found dead at the Royal Kahal Beach Resort in San Pedro on February 22. They are Kaoutar Naqqad, Imane Mallah, and Wafae El Arar.

The toxicology report, now in the hands of medical examiners, has allowed them to update the official cause of death. Initially, the deaths were attributed to acute pulmonary edema pending toxicology results.

Cho stressed that the forensic team conducted a broad toxicology screening, testing for illicit drugs, pharmaceutical substances, carbon monoxide, volatile gases like methane, propane, and butane, as well as pesticides. The results ruled out any presence of illegal or pharmaceutical drugs in the women’s bodies.

“The results revealed that the three victims all had fatal exposure to carbon monoxide,” Cho confirmed. “Carbon monoxide has been revealed as the contributing or underlying exposure that led to the acute pulmonary edema, which was the final cause of death.”