Pennsylvania Woman Died of a Heart Attack in Dominican Resort, Officials Say

Five days before a Maryland couple was found dead in their hotel room in the Dominican Republic, a Pennsylvania woman collapsed and died at the same resort shortly after she checked in, a family spokesman says. (CNN)

Officials said that an American tourist who died at a resort in the Dominican Republican succumbed to a heart attack, although her symptoms were similar to two other Americans who died there about a week later.

Miranda Schaup-Werner, 41, had a history of heart conditions, said husband Daniel Frank Werner said, according to a statement provided by the Grand Bahía Príncipe resort chain on Twitter.

Jay McDonald, her brother-in-law, said that she died of respiratory failure and pulmonary edema, Fox News reported.

Schaup-Werner—along with Nathaniel Holmes, 63, and Cynthia Ann Day, 49—died with fluid in their lungs, said Attorney General Jean Alain Rodriguez Sanchez, according to a statement obtained by CNN.

Holmes and Day also suffered from internal bleeding, including in their pancreases. Holmes also had an enlarged heart and cirrhosis of the liver, which indicated a pre-existing condition, CNN reported. Day also had fluid in her brain, the report said.

Tourism Minister Francisco Javier García said authorities continued to investigate a third case that the victim recently made public on social media, detailing an hours-long assault by a man she said was wearing the uniform of an all-inclusive resort. He said the investigation was complicated by the woman’s inability to identify the attacker from a lineup of all employees on duty at the time. Garcia also said there were inconsistencies between the woman’s account of the events during the day of the attack, and her husband’s account, according to The Associated Press.

“We are deeply saddened by the incident at one of our hotels in La Romana, Dominican Republic, and want to express our deepest condolences to their family and friends,” Bahia Principe Hotels said in a statement after the deaths of Holmes and Day.

The Dominican Republic’s prosecutor’s office said forensic experts are performing toxicological and other tests to determine the causes of death of Holmes and Day.

Police said several bottles of medicines to treat high blood pressure were found on the scene of the couple’s death.

On May 27, the pair had shared photos and messages on their Facebook accounts in which they appeared to be enjoying their vacation.

McDonald said Schaup-Werner’s family heard about the deaths of Holmes and Day, who he said checked into the hotel the same day as Werner and Schaup-Werner.

According to WTVR, McDonald said that “she was sitting there happily smiling and taking pictures and the next moment she was in acute pain and called out for Dan and she collapsed.”

“He was understandably in shock but the whole thing was just so stunning,” he added.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.