Three American women who were discovered dead in a Belize resort hotel room last month died from carbon monoxide poisoning, their families said. A joint statement this week from their families cites the U.S. Embassy in Belize and says the women died from "acute carbon monoxide poisoning, likely caused by a faulty instant water heater."

Three Massachusetts women who died in Belize in February died due to carbon monoxide poisoning, according to a report from Belize officials. Wafae El Arar, 26; Imane Mallah, 24; and Kaoutar Naqqad, 23,

Belize's National Forensic Science Service confirmed that the three American women who were found dead in their hotel room died of carbon monoxide poisoning.