Paramedics entering a room at the resort in Mexico where an American couple was found dead felt dizzy
Paramedics who entered the hotel room at the Mexican resort where an American couple was mysteriously found dead said they almost immediately began to feel dizzy and feared they were going to die.
Abby Lutz, 28, and John Heathco, 40, were found unconscious in their hotel room at the $780-a-night five-star Rancho Pescadero hotel near Cabo San Lucas on Tuesday.
Paramedic Fernando Valencia and his partner, who was his sister, told ABC they were among the first to enter the couple’s room where Heathco was found in the shower and Lutz in bed.
Their comments come after it was revealed they had been hospitalized with what they believed to be food poisoning just days before their deaths.
The Hyatt-owned boutique hotel disputed suggestions that there may have been a gas leak, saying in a statement it “does not believe the cause of death is related to problems with the hotel’s infrastructure or facilities, including carbon monoxide or any type of gas.” ‘
Abby Lutz, 28, and John Heathco, 40, were found unconscious in their hotel room at the five-star, $780-a-night Hotel Rancho Pescadero near Cabo San Lucas
Paramedic Fernando Valencia said that within minutes of entering the couple’s hotel room, he and his partner became dizzy and thought they were going to die
Fernando Valencia and his sister are in the picture. They were among the first two to enter the hotel room
‘My partner and I started to feel dizzy and got out. We left the room as quickly as possible and I was afraid for my partner because my first thought was, are we going to die?’ Fernando told ABC’s Good Morning America.
He and his sister were so concerned that they sought medical help themselves.
“It was one of the worst experiences I’ve felt,” he said.
Hotel Rancho Pescadero is located in the Pacific Ocean village of El Pescadero on the Baja California Peninsula.
Heathco and Lutz had been dead for about 10 or 11 hours and when they were found and there were no signs that they had fought.
The Baja California Sur Attorney General’s Office said in a statement Thursday that the cause of death was “substance intoxication TBD.”
Lutz’s family says she texted her father the day before she was found dead, claiming she was feeling ill and had visited a hospital.
“She had texted her dad and told him the same thing, that she felt sick and went to the hospital, stayed on an IV overnight and felt so much better,” her stepmother told ABC.
“She texted him Monday night to say goodnight, love you, and then we hadn’t heard from her,” she added.
Her stepsister, Gabby Slate, said the family now wants answers: “We want to know exactly what happened and we don’t know that yet.”
The couple stayed at the $780-a-night Rancho Pescadero hotel in El Pescadero, near Cabo San Lucas
Hotel Rancho Pescadero is located in the Pacific Ocean village of El Pescadero on the Baja California Peninsula.
Lutz’s family have said they now want answers to the question of what led to their deaths at the hotel. The manager of the hotel has said he does not believe there was a gas leak, but the AG’s office said an unidentified intoxicant was involved
Abby, 28, with her younger brother, who paid tribute to her on Thursday
In a statement, her sister told DailyMail.com: “We are shocked and saddened to hear of the passing of our beloved Abby. Abby had an adventurous spirit and a wonderfully good heart.
“She loved to travel, discover new places and share her joy of life with those around her. We ask for your thoughts and prayers for our family during this very difficult time.
“In lieu of flowers, we ask for donations GoFundMe to help us put Abby to rest.”
The most common symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are headache, dizziness, weakness, upset stomach, vomiting, chest pain and confusion.
They can often be described as “flu-like,” according to the CDC. However, people who sleep can die from carbon monoxide poisoning before showing symptoms.