Dominican Republic - American tourists found dead in resorts, same cause of death, 2018/2019

[human]

It certainly would be easily possible. Imo.

I'd like to know if any employees were working at all of the affected resorts during the times in question. Those who may have been fired at one then was hired by another one?

Did they resent tourists from other countries coming to enjoy everything when the employee/s couldn't ever afford such luxury?

Another thing I don't understand is how they are legally able to use trademark liquor bottles to put their own bootlegged liquor in?

Doesn't the DR have any rules or regulations governing something like this from happening?

Can the name brand liquor companies sue them? It is such a deception trying to make the tourists believe they are getting top brand expensive liquor when its really rot gut liquor instead.

The DR deserves every bit of negative publicity they are receiving.

Hitting them in the pocket where it hurts is the only thing that will bring about change.

It seems all they really care about is the almighty dollar anyway, and the safety, and wellbeing of the tourists be damned.

Jmho

Touri$t$ are $een as dollar$ everywhere. They are great sources of income in many ways. Tourists get traffic tickets because they present no hassle. Just income. They don’t often know parking rules.

I have always lived in the US and in foreign countries where tourism is the main source of income. People try to make some money. Think of all of the attractions such as rides that have had issues of safety in the US.Think of the exposes of the cleanliness of hotel rooms in the US or how often planes are cleaned.

Or even in the US the expose of food in the grocery store. Or of bartenders switching the expensive liquor to the cheaper as a customer gets drunk.

 

[Jackielee09]

In your opinions folks, is there a SK operating?

That’s my initial opinion. Time will tell.

 

[Inthedetails]

It certainly would be easily possible. Imo.

I'd like to know if any employees were working at all of the affected resorts during the times in question. Those who may have been fired at one then was hired by another one?

Did they resent tourists from other countries coming to enjoy everything when the employee/s couldn't ever afford such luxury?

Another thing I don't understand is how they are legally able to use trademark liquor bottles to put their own bootlegged liquor in?

Doesn't the DR have any rules or regulations governing something like this from happening?

Can the name brand liquor companies sue them? It is such a deception trying to make the tourists believe they are getting top brand expensive liquor when its really rot gut liquor instead.

The DR deserves every bit of negative publicity they are receiving.

Hitting them in the pocket where it hurts is the only thing that will bring about change.

It seems all they really care about is the almighty dollar anyway, and the safety, and wellbeing of the tourists be damned.

Jmho

Regarding the labels on the bottles, I'm guessing the resort buys a shipment of the real stuff and then refills with the bootleg booze, reusing the same bottles.

I've seen restaurants filling Heinz ketchup bottles with an off-brand catsup....which is sort of the same type of deception, except the USA has regulations on food/beverages, so even a cheaper brand is still safe.

Or, a bootleg company could make counterfeit labels for bottles too, I suppose.

jmopinion

 

[oceanblueeyes]

There is more info about those stats, bbm

"From 2012 to December 2018, 128 Americans have died there, according to statistics available on the US Department of State website . The statistics, which do not cover deaths from natural causes, include drownings, homicides, suicides, vehicle and other accidents."

I am guessing the heart attacks and other illnesses we are seeing in recent reports would fall under "natural causes" at this point and are not included in the stat quoted.

jmo

Wow good catch.

So the actual number of deaths could be much higher since the DR seems to rubber stamp many deaths as all heart attacks.

I'm glad the FBI is on the ground doing their own parallel investigation.

Imo, the truth of what really happened to all of these people will not come from the DR. Imo.

I still don't believe in any coincidences in cases like this.

The DR really expects everyone to believe that ALL of their toxicology machines are down, and not working?

When they know the toxicology results holds the KEY to what happened to them, and why? How convenient.

Jmho

 

[Inthedetails]

The DR really expects everyone to believe that ALL of their toxicology machines are down, and not working?

When they know the toxicology results holds the KEY to what happened to them, and why? How convenient.

Jmho

Snipped and bbm.

Since tourism is a main industry there and brings in much-needed money, I think there is incentive by many to keep the toxicology machines "broken." It's not good PR to let it be known that tourists are poisoned on their vacations.

jmopinion

 

[JerseyGirl]

The Dominican Ministry of Tourism has denounced what it has called an overreaction to what it characterized as coincidental.

Oklahoma high school graduates fall ill during Dominican Republic trip, parent says

 

[oceanblueeyes]

Regarding the labels on the bottles, I'm guessing the resort buys a shipment of the real stuff and then refills with the bootleg booze, reusing the same bottles.

I've seen restaurants filling Heinz ketchup bottles with an off-brand catsup....which is sort of the same type of deception, except the USA has regulations on food/beverages, so even a cheaper brand is still safe.

Or, a bootleg company could make counterfeit labels for bottles too, I suppose.

jmopinion

Thank you.

It's been years since I have seen bottles of ketchup on the tables.

For years they are in all sealed packets along with mustard, and other condiments.

Imo

 

[oceanblueeyes]

The Dominican Ministry of Tourism has denounced what it has called an overreaction to what it characterized as coincidental.

Oklahoma high school graduates fall ill during Dominican Republic trip, parent says

This guy is hurting far more than helping the DR.

Imo, no one is going to believe all of these sudden deaths are just mere coincidences. Even saying so is insulting.

He would be much better off saying the DR is going to get to the bottom of it all. But nope.

Jmho

 

[Herat]

<modsnip - broken quote>

This is a important point. I know the original minibar photo that was posted in the NYPost had the labels clearly present on the bottles because I know the one on the far left with the red label said “Kestrel Russian Vodka.” The other bottles were , VERY SLYLY turned around so the text and brand on label was not visible. How else are you going to know if it’s gin or vodka or rum or tequila ... or?

This indicates there was a deliberate attempt to conceal the identity of the bottle as the labels should have been readable to identify their contents.

I know in other countries, there is ubiquitous low-level mislabeling of clothing to represent something as name brand, when it is actually home-made. I know an America woman in Acapulco who ran a clothing boutique full of “name” labels that were not authentic but sounded so from the label.

I’ll bet this goes on all over and DR medical facilities and the Medical Examiners know too.

But clearly some name brand got to the NYPost because the photo has now been altered so the labels are blurred and unreadable!

 

[Sherlockhemlock]

No. I do not think it is a serial killer. I think resorts are buying bootleg alcohol because it's cheaper and it's a place without regulations/enforcement. Perhaps there are other things going on, but I bet most of this is bad booze. Plus poor health care (just a guess...not sure what the remedy is for the tainted alcohol).

jmo

ethanol or fomepizole are usually administered as an antidote for methanol poisoning, which is often present in bootleg alcohol. But the reaction is so sudden that I am wondering if there is a compounding factor (like susceptibility of some type). I agree its more likely cutting corners/fraud than an SK. JMO

 

[Inthedetails]

ethanol or fomepizole are usually administered as an antidote for methanol poisoning, which is often present in bootleg alcohol. But the reaction is so sudden that I am wondering if there is a compounding factor (like susceptibility of some type). I agree its more likely cutting corners/fraud than an SK. JMO

Just thinking aloud here....

If a hospital administered the remedy for methanol poisoning, that is admitting that methanol poisoning happened. How deep is the corruption? An honest doctor wouldn't allow a patient to suffer/die, but a dishonest one might say - the patient drank too much or ate too much?

IDK. I don't want to think that level of corruption or that widespread incompetence exists, but I just get the vibe that people there know what has been happening....


jmo

 

[Herat]

Just thinking aloud here....

If a hospital administered the remedy for methanol poisoning, that is admitting that methanol poisoning happened. How deep is the corruption? An honest doctor wouldn't allow a patient to suffer/die, but a dishonest one might say - the patient drank too much or ate too much

I have the same feeling - something like “these tourists just drink far too much, maybe got into some home brew” but the issue just end there and it doesn’t ever get reported.

And the every death is a heart attack ( unless there’s a knife in the chest)

Certainly the government doesnt really want to pay for all the expensive toxicology and other testing. Best just call it a heart attack , cremate the body and return it home.

Who wants to create problems with the big resorts.?

 

[JerseyGirl]

The son of a New York hospital technician who died suddenly in her room at an all-inclusive resort in Punta Cana on June 10 says the U.S. Embassy and his congressional representatives have helped pave the way for a sample of his mother's blood to be sent to the U.S. so that toxicology tests can be conducted.

U.S. Embassy officials have told him that the Dominican Attorney General's office must give final approval. Richmond University Medical Center, his mother's employer on Staten Island, has committed to performing the toxicology test and absorb all costs.

Cox's mother, Leyla, of Staten Island, N.Y., died on the evening of June 10 at the Excellence resort. She was on a solo trip to celebrate her 53rd birthday and was in good health, said her son, who lives in Tennessee.

A Dominican police report, which Cox showed to Fox News, listed the cause of death as a heart attack. Cox questions it because he says his mother was healthy and the family did not know her to have a heart condition.

U.S. Embassy staffers, relaying information they said they got from Dominican authorities, told him last week that the toxicology machines in the country were not working. They also told him that since his mother's death was deemed to be of natural causes, it didn't qualify for toxicology tests.

Son of tourist who died at luxury resort awaits Dominican AG's approval to get mother's blood sample to US

Dominican Republic tourist deaths: Your questions, answered - CNN

 

[JerseyGirl]

<modsnip - broken quote>

This is a important point. I know the original minibar photo that was posted in the NYPost had the labels clearly present on the bottles because I know the one on the far left with the red label said “Kestrel Russian Vodka.” The other bottles were , VERY SLYLY turned around so the text and brand on label was not visible. How else are you going to know if it’s gin or vodka or rum or tequila ... or?

This indicates there was a deliberate attempt to conceal the identity of the bottle as the labels should have been readable to identify their contents.

..snipped...

FYI: Photo from June 13th of minibar:

https://nypost.com/2019/06/13/autho...quor-as-potential-cause-of-dr-tourist-deaths/

I found a similar picture with bottle labels on TripAdvisor at the Hard Rock. The other bottles appear to be Barcelo Rum, el Jimador tequila, and William Lawson's whisky:

HARD ROCK HOTEL & CASINO PUNTA CANA - Updated 2019 Prices & Resort (All-Inclusive) Reviews (Bavaro, Dominican Republic) - TripAdvisor

 

[Inthedetails]

The son of a New York hospital technician who died suddenly in her room at an all-inclusive resort in Punta Cana on June 10 says the U.S. Embassy and his congressional representatives have helped pave the way for a sample of his mother's blood to be sent to the U.S. so that toxicology tests can be conducted.

U.S. Embassy officials have told him that the Dominican Attorney General's office must give final approval. Richmond University Medical Center, his mother's employer on Staten Island, has committed to performing the toxicology test and absorb all costs.

Cox's mother, Leyla, of Staten Island, N.Y., died on the evening of June 10 at the Excellence resort. She was on a solo trip to celebrate her 53rd birthday and was in good health, said her son, who lives in Tennessee.

A Dominican police report, which Cox showed to Fox News, listed the cause of death as a heart attack. Cox questions it because he says his mother was healthy and the family did not know her to have a heart condition.

U.S. Embassy staffers, relaying information they said they got from Dominican authorities, told him last week that the toxicology machines in the country were not working. They also told him that since his mother's death was deemed to be of natural causes, it didn't qualify for toxicology tests.

Son of tourist who died at luxury resort awaits Dominican AG's approval to get mother's blood sample to US

Dominican Republic tourist deaths: Your questions, answered - CNN

I am curious about this particular case because the woman just turned 53. Women of that age are not especially at risk for heart attacks (yes, I know they can happen) and the family doesn't think a heart attack seems likely. (I would want to check and double check that the blood that is sent to USA for testing is actually her blood too.)

I'd like to see the number of tourists who have died in DR due to "natural causes."

jmo

 

[Bugurl747]

The son of a New York hospital technician who died suddenly in her room at an all-inclusive resort in Punta Cana on June 10 says the U.S. Embassy and his congressional representatives have helped pave the way for a sample of his mother's blood to be sent to the U.S. so that toxicology tests can be conducted.

U.S. Embassy officials have told him that the Dominican Attorney General's office must give final approval. Richmond University Medical Center, his mother's employer on Staten Island, has committed to performing the toxicology test and absorb all costs.

Cox's mother, Leyla, of Staten Island, N.Y., died on the evening of June 10 at the Excellence resort. She was on a solo trip to celebrate her 53rd birthday and was in good health, said her son, who lives in Tennessee.

A Dominican police report, which Cox showed to Fox News, listed the cause of death as a heart attack. Cox questions it because he says his mother was healthy and the family did not know her to have a heart condition.

U.S. Embassy staffers, relaying information they said they got from Dominican authorities, told him last week that the toxicology machines in the country were not working. They also told him that since his mother's death was deemed to be of natural causes, it didn't qualify for toxicology tests.

Son of tourist who died at luxury resort awaits Dominican AG's approval to get mother's blood sample to US

Dominican Republic tourist deaths: Your questions, answered - CNN

Thanks for the update and links. It sounds like he is fighting for his Mom. I'm glad to hear of what may be progress. I'm concerned the DR will do something to her body or the potential tests deeming the tox results inconclusive. They have a lot to lose and they play dirty, IMO.

From the article:

Cox said it has been nothing short of an ordeal to extract information from the resort and Dominican authorities about the details of his mother's death. He said that while a U.S. embassy staff member was in touch with him every day, and was helpful in some instances, in others he gave incomplete or erroneous information.

"It's been more unknowns than answers," he said. "It's been that way since the beginning. One person tells me one thing, and then someone else tells me another. [Diplomat] William Swaney at the U.S. Embassy stepped in and has been the only one who's really been helpful."

"I would love to see my Mom again," he said last week. "But next time I see her, she may be ashes. It's just not right. I want to see her body. I'm a U.S. citizen, I have a right to see my mother's body. I have a right to know what happened. I want to perform an autopsy here, and get a toxicological test here, so I can get answers."

 

[JerseyGirl]

A Mississippi woman who went on a mother-daughter trip to the Dominican Republic says she fell ill — and adding insult to injury, was stuck on a miserable return flight filled with passengers suffering from similar symptoms last month. She said she arrived at the Royalton Punta Cana resort on May 21.

Dominican Republic tourist says flight was full of sick passengers

https://nypost.com/2019/06/18/dominican-republic-tourist-says-flight-was-full-of-sick-passengers/

 

[CrimeDawg123]

FYI: Photo from June 13th of minibar:

<snipped by me>

THAT'S a minibar?? :O

 

[JerseyGirl]

THAT'S a minibar?? :O

Yes, at the all-inclusive resorts. They could clearly refill those bottles with bootleg liquor.

 

[castilloisno1]

Dominican Republic mystery illness: Students fall seriously ill during school trip to country leaving families terrified