An Alabama man has been identified as one of three victims who died in a mysterious incident at a Bahamas resort.
Vincent Chiarella, of Birmingham, died at the Sandals Emerald Bay resort on Great Exuma, his son Austin told ABC News. Mr Chiarella also said his mother, Donnis, was injured but survived.
“She woke up and my dad was laying there on the floor, and she couldn’t move,” the grieving son told the TV outlet. “Her legs and arms was swollen and she couldn’t move and she screamed to get someone to come in the door.”
Mr Chiarella said his parents, both in their mid-60s, had been celebrating their wedding anniversary. His mother was airlifted to a hospital in Florida, he said.
“I am just so heartbroken right now,” Mr Chiarella said. “My dad was everything to me.”
The three tourists were found dead at the Sandals resort on Friday morning, and police are still investigating what happened.
The names of the other two victims have not been publicly released.
The RBPF said police found the three deceased victims in two villas at the resort. “No signs of trauma” were found, the agency said, but the two bodies found in the second villa showed “signs of convulsion.”
“Detectives from New Providence are on the island of Exuma investigating the death of two adult males and an adult female,” the Royal Bahamas Police Force said in a statement.
“Our initial investigations revealed that the couple found in the second villa complained of illness the previous evening,” the RBPF said. “They attended the local medical facility and on completion of receiving treatment, they returned to their lodging.”
The police force says it’s waiting for the results of an autopsy report to determine the cause of the deaths.
One guest at the resort suggested that something toxic may have been leaking from the air conditioners.
“It sounds like it may have been a fault with the a/c,” Chris Coucheron-Aamot wrote on Facebook, as reported by the New York Post. “It was hard to sleep last night – every time the a/c came on, I woke up.”
Many air conditioners use Freon, a cooling chemical that can be deadly if inhaled. However, police have not at this point mentioned this as a possible cause of death.
In a statement, Sandals Resorts has said it is cooperating with the investigation.
“It is with deep sadness that we can confirm the passing of three guests at Emerald Bay Resort on May 6, 2022,” the company said. “A health emergency was initially reported and following our protocols we immediately alerted emergency medical professionals and relevant local authorities to provide support and investigate the situation.”
The Independent has reached out to Sandals Resorts for further comment.
