Parents seek answers in Thailand death

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Parents seek answers in Thailand death

3News NZ

Sarah Carter's mother

Sarah Carter's mother

It has been nearly two months since the death of Sarah Carter in Thailand and her parents are still searching for answers.

On February 2, Sarah Carter, Amanda Eliason and Emma Langlands flew in to Thailand on the final leg of their big OE.

They checked in at the Downtown Inn and shared a room - room 518.

On their first night a woman across the corridor in room 516 died in her bathroom

She was victim number four. 

Victim number one was a French woman who died mysteriously on January 4. It is reported she used the Downtown Inn facilities.

A week later Soraya Pandola died. She did not stay or visit the Downtown Inn but her husband says her death was identical to Carters.

A fortnight on, Canadian tourist Bill Mah died. He had used the swimming pool at the Downtown Inn.

Sarah Carter was number five, she died on February 6.

Victims six and seven are Eileen and George Everitt. They died a week later and stayed in a room underneath Sarah Carter's room.

So what killed these people? Thai authorities say the deaths are not linked but five of the families involved say they are.

Campbell Live talks to Sarah Carters mother who travelled to Thailand to get answers.

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Comments

28/04/2011 12:22:44 a.m.

Andrew wrote:

Even in a 2 Michelin Star restaurant (the Wild Boar in the UK) last year an unfortunate case of critical food poisoning was discovered, so it can happen anywhere, and it seems mysterious that only some of the many guests were afflicted, some didn't even eat there. It's a difficult one to get to the bottom of but certainly the owner of this hotel is influential locally and belongs to a type of Asian with the mentality that you try hard to cover things up least it affect business, rather than be transparent. To be honest, that hotel is suffering very badly and will probably have to close, but I understand that a lot of effort has been made by health inspectors to identify and eradicate this problem, the fact that all the deaths occurred within a few weeks but there have been none for 6 weeks now is telling. It's really quite unfair to target Thailand and Chiang Mai as being unsafe to travel in, 14 million people safely travel through the country every year.

14/04/2011 12:43:08 a.m.

Richard wrote:

John you are a naive fool and someone who has probably never been to Thailand. Like all foreign deaths in Thailand they are never properly investigated. The circumstances surrounding the deaths at the Downtown Inn will never see the light of day due to the fact the the owner is the former mayor of Chiang Mai. Corruption Rules in Thailand.

31/03/2011 4:52:06 p.m.

travelinasia wrote:

These circumstances are shockingly similar to the deaths of 2 tourists on Phi Phi Island in 2009. American Jill St Onge, and her fiance Ryan Kells had both become violently ill after checking into The Laleena Guesthouse on Phi Phi Island. Ryan and Jill were staying in room 4 at the Laleena Guesthouse, and the both became very ill shortly after checking in. Two Norweigen tourists that were staying in room 5, also became ill at the exact same time. Jill St Onge and Julie Michelle Bergheim were both pronounced dead on May 6th, 2009. read the article : http://hubpages.com/hub/downtown-inn

30/03/2011 10:04:38 p.m.

Ross wrote:

Has the family or anyone looked into this being the cause? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legionellosis

30/03/2011 5:26:36 p.m.

John wrote:

The Thai authorities have not told the family how she died because they do not yet know themselves. They have asked WHO for help and have sent samples off to the States but as yet, know one knows. Losing a loved one is said and a child sadder still but starting a hate campaign against the country where they died will not bring them back. New Zealand has had its fair share of tourists come to harm and certainly has an 'undercurrent of drug and human rights crimes.' Perhaps a website should be made highlighting the dangers to international students coming to New Zealand.

30/03/2011 1:13:51 p.m.

guyinthailand wrote:

It wasn't Echovirus. Since echoviruses are common, and usually cause no symptoms, it is entirely possible the Thais found traces of it in one of the victims. But correlation does not mean causation. Lots of people have this virus in them, usually without symptoms. following info from emedcine.com-by and for MDs Most echoviral infections are self-limited and require no specific therapy. And the vomiting? Emedicine lists other symptoms, but not vomiting. In fact, most cases of echovirus infection are asymptomatic. No symptoms, no clinical illness. ”Fifty to eighty percent of patients with echoviral infections are asymptomatic. The most common presentation is a nonfocal, asymptomatic febrile illness. Three quarters of enteroviral infections, including echoviral infections, reported to the World Health Organization occur in children younger than 15 years. In the United States, attack rates in infants younger than 1 year greatly exceed those in older children and adults. Myocardial/pericardial disease * Common symptoms include shortness of breath, chest pain, fever, and weakness. * Epidemic enteroviral myopericarditis appears to be rare. Most cases have been sporadic, even during enteroviral epidemics. * Chest pain occurs in as many as 90% of cases and often is dull in nature. A transient friction rub has been observed in 35%-80% of cases. Most echoviral infections are self-limited and require no specific therapy. It wasn't coxsackie virus. Coxsackie virus is rarely fatal, and 90% of infections are asymptomatic--no symptoms, no clinical illness (or cause nonspecific febrile illnesses) and those that do get really sick are those with already compromised immune systems. for a lengthy discussion of possible causes see http://teakdoor.com/thailand-and-asia-news/86865-nz-woman-thailand-food-poisoning-death.html

30/03/2011 1:13:50 p.m.

guyinthailand wrote:

It wasn't Echovirus. Since echoviruses are common, and usually cause no symptoms, it is entirely possible the Thais found traces of it in one of the victims. But correlation does not mean causation. Lots of people have this virus in them, usually without symptoms. following info from emedcine.com-by and for MDs Most echoviral infections are self-limited and require no specific therapy. And the vomiting? Emedicine lists other symptoms, but not vomiting. In fact, most cases of echovirus infection are asymptomatic. No symptoms, no clinical illness. ”Fifty to eighty percent of patients with echoviral infections are asymptomatic. The most common presentation is a nonfocal, asymptomatic febrile illness. Three quarters of enteroviral infections, including echoviral infections, reported to the World Health Organization occur in children younger than 15 years. In the United States, attack rates in infants younger than 1 year greatly exceed those in older children and adults. Myocardial/pericardial disease * Common symptoms include shortness of breath, chest pain, fever, and weakness. * Epidemic enteroviral myopericarditis appears to be rare. Most cases have been sporadic, even during enteroviral epidemics. * Chest pain occurs in as many as 90% of cases and often is dull in nature. A transient friction rub has been observed in 35%-80% of cases. Most echoviral infections are self-limited and require no specific therapy. It wasn't coxsackie virus. Coxsackie virus is rarely fatal, and 90% of infections are asymptomatic--no symptoms, no clinical illness (or cause nonspecific febrile illnesses) and those that do get really sick are those with already compromised immune systems. for a lengthy discussion of possible causes see http://teakdoor.com/thailand-and-asia-news/86865-nz-woman-thailand-food-poisoning-death.html