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A British couple died while vacationing in Egypt after the adjoining room was treated for bed bugs. John and Susan Cooper were staying at the Steigenberger Aqua Magic Hotel back in August 2018 when they mysteriously died.
For five years, the couple's children have been trying to get answers about what happened to their parents, and now, an inquest has been completed, and their cause of death has been determined.
Dr. James Adelely, senior coroner for the English county of Lancashire, ruled that the the couple died as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning caused by the fumigation of the adjoining room.
A German tourist told the court that he reported a bed bug infestation in the room. The hotel then had the room fumigated with a pesticide, Lambda, which contains the chemical dichloromethane. While the workers sealed the door with masking tape, the chemicals seeped into the Cooper's room, causing them to suffer from carbon monoxide poisoning.
John Cooper was deceased by the time paramedics arrived, while Susan was rushed to the hospital, where she died several hours later.
The couple's daughter, Kelly Ormerod, is relieved that their family finally has answers about what happened to their parents.
"Our family still struggles to comprehend what we went through that day and feel like it should never have happened," Ormerod said, according to the BBC.
"The last few years have been the most traumatic time for all of us. Having to relive everything at the inquest has been harrowing, but it was something we had to do for Mum and Dad. We'd do anything to have them back in our lives, but we take some small comfort from at least having the answers we deserve."