Authorities have revealed the cause of death for an
Iowa family of four who were found dead in a Mexican resort-town condominium early Friday morning, March 23.
Kevin Wayne Sharp, 41, Amy Marie Sharp, 38, and their children, Sterling Wayne Sharp, 12, and Adrianna Marie Sharp, 7, were on vacation in Mexico on March 15. They were reported missing by family members when they did not return home on March 21.
The State Attorney’s Office of Quintana Roo said the family had died from inhalation of toxic gases and were dead for approximately 36 to 48 hours before they were found during a welfare check, reported
CBS News. The type of gas or the source of the gas has not been identified.
Mexican authorities said firefighters carried out an inspection of the gas installation of the room. During the initial inspection of the room, there were no signs of injury or violence. Suicide and violence have both been ruled out as possible causes, reported
WHO-TV.
Authorities said the investigation is still ongoing to determine what gas had caused the family’s death, reported the news station.
Amy’s cousin, Jana Weland, told ABC News that the vacation was a surprise for the children for Spring break.
“The only thing that we’re thankful for is that hopefully, that maybe [the deaths] were very peaceful,” she told the news station.
Amy’s sister, Renee Hoyt,
told Creston News Advertiser that the couple flew to Cancun, where they planned to rent a car and drive to Tulum. They had rented a condo in Tulum.
“Nobody’s cell phones are on and they didn’t land in St. Louis last night,” Hoyt said prior to the discovery of the family’s bodies.
“There’s been no Facebook posts and that’s not like them. They’re always posting pictures when they’re on vacation.”
The U.S. State Department has issued a
Level 2 Travel Advisory for Mexico as of March 16, noting that “violent crime, such as homicide, kidnapping, carjacking, and robbery, is widespread.”
NTD Reporter Zack Stieber contributed to this report
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