On the heel of a wave of cancellations after weeks of widespread US press speculation on tainted beverages in the Dominican Republic in May, June and July 2019, a comprehensive FBI toxicology report just released denies there was factual evidence to the negative media stories. The findings by the FBI confirm the report Dominican forensic authorities had given. That the death of three at the same hotel was due to complications of already existing physical conditions.
The deaths spiraled into a media campaign that led to major cancellations of travel to the country amid speculations of intoxication due to fumigation at the hotel or toxic drinks. The FBI reportedly carried out comprehensive studies, with over 150 tests, and concluded the tourists died for natural causes.
The results were shared with the relatives of the deceased and end the speculation regarding the deaths of 63-year old Nathaniel Edward Holmes and 49-year old Cynthia Ann Day that died together when on holiday in the Dominican Republic.
The Attorney General of the Dominican Republic had reported that Edward Holmes had died due to petechial hemorrhages in pleural surface, generalized cerebral and visceral hemorrhages, as well as pulmonary edema, cardiomegaly at 600gr, macroscopic hepatic cirrhosis, hemorrhagic gastritis and pancreatic hemorrhage.
While his wife, Cynthia Ann Day presented cerebral edema, petechial hemorrhages, brain, heart and pulmonary edema, cardiomegaly at 400gr, in addition to chronic passive hepatic congestion, hemorrhagic gastritis, pancreatic hemorrhage, and hepatomegaly at 1300grs.
The intense media campaign that resulted from the mysterious deaths caused cancellations and price discounting that affected Dominican hotels. Dominican hotels turned the negative into a positive and enhanced security measures and medical access and emergency information in each hotel room.
Paola Rainieri, president of the National Hotel & Tourism Association, says that while the FBI studies were extensive, the full results have not known locally. She said that all that is known is what has appeared on the matter in the US press.
Likewise, the Attorney General Office had reportedly received the FBI report on 16 September 2019 but did not make this public, either. The Attorney General had announced a press conference for 30 September, but later postponed this citing that the details received were not complete.
Listin Diario
Diario Libre
NY Post
Fox43
22 October 2019