The families of three Massachusetts women who died from carbon monoxide poisoning at a Belizean resort have initiated federal legal proceedings against Royal Kahal Beach Resort in San Pedro. The wrongful death lawsuit was formally announced during a press conference held in Massachusetts on February 3, 2026.
Wafae El Arar, Imane Mallah, and Kaoutar Naqqad were discovered unresponsive in their vacation suite on February 22 after remaining unseen for approximately 48 hours. Initial investigations by Belizean authorities incorrectly suggested drug overdose as the cause of death, citing froth around the victims’ mouths and the presence of alcohol and edible cannabis products within the accommodation.
Belizean officials initially reported that two separate carbon monoxide tests had yielded negative results. These preliminary findings were subsequently contradicted by comprehensive toxicology analyses conducted by United States medical authorities, which definitively identified carbon monoxide poisoning as the exclusive cause of death.
The litigation targets multiple entities including the resort’s development companies, construction contractors, and online travel marketplace Expedia. Attorney Tom Scolaro, representing the grieving families, asserted that the tragedy resulted from deliberate corporate decisions that prioritized financial gain over guest safety.
Scolaro indicated that defendants would likely attempt to transfer jurisdiction to Belizean courts, where wrongful death compensation is severely restricted to economic losses determined by judicial assessment rather than jury deliberation. The families emphasize their pursuit of accountability and systemic change rather than financial compensation, stating their primary objective is preventing similar preventable tragedies through heightened safety standards in the hospitality industry.