The family of Stonehill Alum found dead in a room in Belize is suing the resort for negligence

By Maddi Achtyl

Just over a year ago, Stonehill Alum Wafae El Arar ‘21 was one of three women found dead in a hotel room at a resort in San Pedro, Belize. Now, the families of the three women are filing a negligence lawsuit against the resort.

NBC Boston reported that the families of the three women filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court in Massachusetts, alleging that the deaths were the result of a "catastrophic failure of safety systems" and negligence by the resort.

Attorney Thomas Scolaro, representing the families, said in a statement to the station that "This was not an unavoidable accident."  His firm handles cases of wrongful death, cruise ship accidents, boating accidents, and more.

In March 2025, one month after the incident, officials of the Belize National Forensic Science Service told local news stations that the three women, Wafae El Arar, 26, Imane Mallah, 24, and Kaoutar Naqqad, 23, had levels of carboxyhemoglobin greater than 50%. This happens when carbon monoxide is inhaled, reducing the blood's oxygen-carrying capacity and eventually causing death.

Carbon monoxide poisoning was originally ruled out, but further testing was ordered, and in March carbon monoxide poisoning was determined to be the cause of death, not illicit drug use as previously speculated.

The U.S. Embassy in Belize states that this was likely the cause of a faulty instant water heater, NBC Boston reported back in March.

The resort, Royal Kahal Beach Resort, targets American consumers but was developed by Fairhaven Properties, a Canadian company.

According to WCVB Boston, the lawsuit names a broad group of defendants, including the resort’s Canadian owners and developers, Belizean contractors involved in installing the gas system, the U.S.-based manufacturer of the water heater, and U.S.-based online travel platforms through which the women booked their stay.

“The lawsuit seeks compensatory damages, damages for conscious pain and suffering, and punitive damages under Massachusetts law, as well as accountability for corporate entities that plaintiffs allege attempted to insulate themselves from responsibility through complex ownership and management structures,” WCVB Boston reported.