Vittorio Caruso of Long Island joins the growing list of U.S. tourists who have suddenly died while visiting the Dominican Republic.
The U.S. State Department confirmed that Caruso, a fifty-six-year-old pizzeria owner, died June on 17 while staying at the Boca Chica Resort in Santo Domingo. According to Lisa Maria Caruso, his sister-in-law, he suddenly went into respiratory distress after “drinking something.”1 A report later revealed his cause of death was respiratory failure.
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Caruso’s older brother Frank Caruso confirmed his death, saying he was in good health before he left on his Carribean vacation, adding:
“He went to the doctor before he left, and he had no problems. I spoke to the doctor. He called me when he found out he died, and he said he did not see anything wrong before he left. He could not believe the news.”
“This is not normal. We are very suspicious. We think maybe there was something in his drink or in his food.”1
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Frank Caruso said his brother was single and traveled regularly to the Dominican Republic to stay at his time-share condo.
Lisa Maria Caruso said local authorities have been vague and provided few answers about how their loved one fell ill and ultimately died while on vacation in the Carribean nation, saying:
“It is very hard to get a straight story from anyone there. They even wanted to cremate the body. We insisted on having the body sent back here.”1
Caruso was set to return to New York on June 27. He is among three tourists in the past month and at least eleven in the past year who died while vacationing in the Dominican Republic. Several dozens more have reported sudden illnesses.
