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Two more people have mysteriously died after visiting the Dominican Republic.
Susan Simoneaux, from Louisiana, passed away less than a week after returning home from her honeymoon on the island. Susan was rushed to the hospital with fluid in his lungs. An autopsy has not been done yet to determine her cause of death. At the time of their trip, her husband, Keith, said they knew nothing about the others who had passed away or became sick while visiting the country.
“I would’ve never went if I would have known,” Keith said. “I did not know to be honest with you.”
Another woman, Donette Cannon, 38, from New York has passed away as well. Donette and her group were experiencing stomach pains over the course of their trip. On their 5th and final night of vacation, the group went to dinner. In the middle of the night, Donette reportedly woke up with stomach pains, as she vomitted and had diarrhea.
The alcohol is being investigated as a cause of death due to poisoning. She eventually fell unconscious and was taken to the hospital. Some hours later, she passed away from kidney failure.
Authorities are now investigating fake alcohol to determine if the tourist were poisoned. The FBI is reportedly taking blood samples from the victims. They are also working to figure out where the alcohol came from, and if the bottles have any harmful chemicals in them. There have also been various cases of people becoming ill after drinking from the minibars, but have survived.
According to a forensic science professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in Manhattan, the symptoms seen in the victims were consistent with poisoning from methanol or pesticides; common toxic ingredients in fake liquor.
“Adulterated alcohol is usually methanol added to alcohol or just pain methanol, which is very, very toxic,” Kobilinky said. “It looks to me, from what I’ve heard and read, is that something was added to the drinks or bottles in those little refrigerators.”
