Three young American women were found dead at a beach resort in Belize and officials were looking into whether drugs played a factor in their tragic demise.
Belize police identified the women as 23-year-old Kaoutar Naqqad, 24-year-old Imane Mallah and 26-year-old Wafae El-Arar, who were staying at the Royal Kahal Beach Resort, a luxury resort on Ambergris Caye, located in San Pedro Town.
Housekeeping staff attempted to contact them a number of times on Friday, after surveillance footage showed them entering their rooms on Thursday night and not coming back out, police said in a statement.
After staff received no response on Saturday morning, they used a master key to enter, and the women were all found dead.
First responders said the women were found with froth on their mouths, suggesting a possible drug overdose. However, the cause of their deaths remains unconfirmed.
‘The police did a thorough search of the scene, along with the pathologists and scenes of crime. There was nothing of substance that could have been found other than alcohol and some gummies,’ Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police, told reporters on Monday afternoon.
‘We’re not saying at this time that the gummies cause death, but we’re looking at every possibility.’
Police said there were no signs of forced entry or visible injuries and officers found snacks, liquids, vapes and other electronic devices in the women’s room.
‘We’re trying to do as best as we can, including to see where they may have gone on Thursday before they went home, what if anything they consumed. All these things we’re looking at,’ Williams said.
Wafae El-Arar, 26, was found dead in her Belize hotel room alongside two of her friends
Kaoutar Naqqad, 23, left, and Imane Mallah, 24, had bother travelled to Belize from Massachusetts
He also noted how ‘based on what the pathologist said when he visited on Saturday evening, is that they could have been dead 20 hours prior.’
In a GoFundMe page, Wafae’s family described her as ‘a bright, kind, and loving soul who touched the hearts of everyone she met.’
Kaoutar’s family said on a GoFundMe page that the loss of their daughter would ‘deeply impact all who knew her.’
Meanwhile, Imane’s heartbroken father wrote on a GoFundMe page how his daughter had passed away in a heartbreaking accident.
‘No parent should ever have to endure such pain, and the grief is overwhelming,’ he added.
Kaoutar Naqqad, 23, is seen alongside members of her family. She died over the weekend
Wafae El Arar, left, is seen together with her family who are said to be heartbroken
The trio had been staying at the Royal Kahal Beach Resort, a luxury resort on Ambergris Caye, located in San Pedro Town
The trio had travelled to the country from Revere, Massachusetts and had been due to travel back home on Sunday.
‘The City of Revere extends our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of the three local women who tragically and unexpectedly passed away in Belize,’ the city said in a Facebook post.
In December, the U.S. State Department issued a travel advisory for Belize because of crime.
‘Violent crime – such as sexual assault, home invasions, armed robberies, and murder – are common even during the day and in tourist areas,’ the advisory said.
